The 49ers could get injured linebacker Dre Greenlaw back in time for Week 15, which might just be enough to salvage their playoff hopes.
There have been plenty of headaches the San Francisco 49ers have experienced over the course of 2024.
One of the first was also among the biggest: losing star linebacker Dre Greenlaw right in the middle of the Super Bowl last February.
Niners fans need little reminder what happened next, as the Kansas City Chiefs took advantage of Greenlaw's Achilles tear en route to an overtime victory, sending San Francisco into an offseason that never quite felt right.
Things have snowballed from there, quite literally.
One could make the argument that 2024 turned with Greenlaw's injury, and the star backer hasn't been able to take the field since that brutal moment.
Until now, potentially.
Dre Greenlaw could return for 49ers in Week 15 vs. Rams
Greenlaw has been inching his way toward returning to action, and San Francisco recently opened up his practice window, allowing the No. 2 behind All-Pro Fred Warner to get back on the field and test his repaired Achilles.
With the 49ers coming off a Week 14 drubbing of the Chicago Bears to improve to 6-7, the possibility of getting Greenlaw back on a short week ahead of a crucial NFC West bout against the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday Night Football is certainly there.
"There's a chance," head coach Kyle Shanahan explained to reporters on Monday about the possibility of Greenlaw playing. "We'll see. I haven't talked to him yet, so we'll see when he gets in here tomorrow, how he's feeling, how practice goes Tuesday and Wednesday, and we'll make our decision then."
The Niners have sorely missed Greenlaw this season, relying heavily on the inconsistent veteran, De'Vondre Campbell in the former's absence. Paired with Warner dealing with his own ankle injury for much of the year, getting a much-needed reinforcement back in time for a final four-game playoff push is vital.
Especially with San Francisco in the 11th seed and trailing the eighth-seeded Rams by a game in the standings.
If Greenlaw's injury truly marked the beginning of troubles for the 49ers this season, perhaps his return could prompt the Niners' last best chance to bounce back into the postseason picture.