Ranking 49ers' top 5 positional needs entering 2024 offseason
By Peter Panacy
49ers need No. 4: Linebacker
San Francisco's lethal one-two combo of linebackers Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw was dealt a massive blow in the Super Bowl when Greenlaw ruptured his Achilles.
There's hope that Greenlaw will be available for the start of the regular season, but lower-leg injuries can always be tricky, frequently leading to other injuries in a short amount of time.
Even if Greenlaw is able to return, the 49ers need to stockpile their backups and potential long-term replacements in support of Warner and Greenlaw. Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles and Oren Burks are both pending free agents, and the only other two names of note, Dee Winters and Jalen Graham, who saw scant action last year.
Unless the Niners have full belief in either of those two players, the smart move would be to explore some upgrades.