3 teams 49ers could trade Dre Greenlaw to this offseason

It might not be the trade all 49ers fans have talked about this offseason, but it’s feasible the Niners move linebacker Dre Greenlaw somewhere else.

San Francisco 49ers fans, and the rest of the league for that matter, have been queued in on the trade of quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, that following in the wake of so many other blockbuster deals leading up to the start of the 2022 NFL new year on March 16.

But the Niners may potentially move other pieces this offseason, too, and general manager John Lynch hasn’t necessarily shied away from trading commodities for other commodities.

One of the names that seems to have risen as possible trade bait this offseason is three-year pro linebacker Dre Greenlaw, the surprising find late in the 2019 NFL Draft who worked his way into the starting lineup and made one of the biggest stops in recent franchise history his rookie season.

Yet Greenlaw, entering the final year of his rookie deal, was notably surpassed in 2021 by fellow linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair, who admirably filled in for him while Greenlaw was out for all but three regular-season games and finished second in team tackles behind fellow backer Fred Warner with 102.

Al-Shaair might return as a restricted free agent, while Greenlaw is scheduled to earn $2.62 million this year, according to Over the Cap. While Greenlaw is an OK player, he’s not a great one. And it’s feasible San Francisco entertains the idea of moving him while he’s still on a cheap part of his contract while opening up the door for Al-Shaair to take on a more prominent role.

If Lynch and Co. elect to go that route, here are three teams that make sense in a Greenlaw trade.