In free agency, San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan is adding one of his former linebackers, Brandon Staley, to his staff for the 2024 campaign. As Dre Greenlaw recovers from a ruptured Achilles sustained in the Super Bowl, the 49ers have agreed to a one-year deal with Eric Kendricks to provide depth, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. For a San Francisco team that didn’t have much financial flexibility going into the summer, it’s just another modest move. The current salary of the defending NFC champions, which does not yet include Kendricks’ compensation, is $6.4 million less than the $255.4 million ceiling.
Greenlaw underwent a successful surgery on February 15 and is anticipated to fully recover, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. During a defensive series against the Kansas City Chiefs in the second quarter, Greenlaw was jogging onto the field when he was hurt.
While there is optimism that Greenlaw will be back on the field during the 2024 season, it would seem unlikely he will be ready when the regular season begins. Given how important both linebackers—Greenlaw and Fred Warner—to what San Francisco wants to do on defense, it would have been stunning if the team didn’t add at least one player at the position in free agency. Staley, who coached Kendricks last season with the Los Angeles Chargers, was hired by the 49ers earlier this month. Nick Sorensen is taking over as defensive coordinator after Steve Wilks was fired at the end of the 2023 season. Kendricks has been a tackling machine throughout his career. The 32-year-old has recorded at least 92 combined tackles in each of his first nine seasons, including 107 in eight consecutive years since 2016.
The 49ers could have a competition between Kendricks, Dee Winters and Jalen Graham during training camp to determine the other starting linebacker next to Warner. They could also go with a rotation based on matchups.
