Where does 49ers DC Robert Saleh stand on LB Dre Greenlaw returning?

Could the 49ers bring back Greenlaw on a one-year deal?

The San Francisco 49ers made arguably the biggest coordinator splash of the offseason when they hired Robert Saleh to be their defensive coordinator, providing a sense of familiarity to the locker room.

Saleh, the 49ers defensive coordinator from 2017-20, had been interviewing for head coaching openings with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Dallas Cowboys, but both of those searches went elsewhere, leading him back to San Francisco.

Now, the esteemed coordinator will be charged with rebuilding the 49ers defense, which struggled at times last year, especially when it came to the run defense.

Entering the offseason, San Francisco has a number of holes to fill defensively, as key starters like Charvarius Ward, Talanoa Hufanga, Dre Greenlaw, and Javon Hargrave are set to hit free agency.

Of the four players, it seems like Greenlaw is the free agent that San Francisco will be most inclined to bring back, as he could go for another one-year prove-it deal after playing in just nine games in 2024.

The 49ers dearly missed the linebacker during the first half of the season, as they got inconsistent play from the No. 2 linebacker spot from De’Vondre Campbell.

Will Greenlaw be a priority for the 49ers to retain this offseason?

He got a vote of confidence from defensive end Nick Bosa at the Pro Bowl Games, who expressed that not only does he want Greenlaw back, but defensive coordinator Robert Saleh does as well.

“[Dre Greenlaw] is going to do what’s best for him, and he should do that at this point in his career,” Bosa said, via NBC Sports Bay Area’s Jennifer Lee Chan. “Obviously, we want him back. I know [Robert] Saleh is very adamant about that.”

Bosa, along with linebacker Fred Warner, expressed their excitement for Saleh returning to the fold in 2025, with both players pointing to his energy as a key reason for their success, among other factors.

“It’s huge [bringing back Robert Saleh],” Bosa said. “Familiar face, guy that I’ve missed and kinda didn’t know how good we had it when he was there.”

“[That energy is] contagious,” Warner furthered. “You see it. Him, DeMeco [Ryans], that was a big part of why we were so successful.”

Greenlaw would certainly add to that contagious energy, as his hard-hitting mindset has fit well with the 49ers culture since he was drafted back in 2019 in the fifth round.

While he’ll likely look for a multi-year, long-term deal in free agency, Greenlaw may be best fit to receive that after another season in San Francisco, where he’s guaranteed a starting spot in a system that he’s comfortable in.

Greenlaw is still only 27 years old and should be fully healthy next season. So, it makes sense for the 49ers as they look for affordable, but realistic options to fill their defensive holes as they hope to become better on that side of the ball in 2025.