49ers Should Start Dre Greenlaw at WILL Linebacker
When Kwon Alexander went down on Halloween night due to injury, it was initially believed that the defense of the 49ers would drop off. He was performing at a high-level at the time and was an adrenaline shot to the defense.
Losing a player like Alexander for the season made it seem like there was no way to fully fill the hole he left. That was until rookie linebacker Dre Greenlaw stepped in and eviscerated that hole. Greenlaw ended up proving to be an upgrade at linebacker alongside Fred Warner.
Greenlaw showed much promise and talent last season that the 49ers should start him at WILL linebacker over Alexander.
Lets face it, Greenlaw is the significantly better option for the future. After the superb talent that he is when he stepped in for Alexander, it makes perfect sense to give him the start.
First and foremost, Greenlaw is younger by about four years. Now being young gets thrown out way too casually in topics like this. But the reason age matters when comparing these two players is that Alexander is carrying an injury-filled track record. He will be 26-years old when the season begins and is already carrying an injury-prone stigma.
Second, starting Greenlaw over Alexander makes too much sense from a financial standpoint. Yes, Alexander is getting paid a high sum of money in 2020 due to his injury-guaranteed salary, so you would think he should be the true starter. However, after this season Alexander's contract will have run out of guarantees. Whereas Greenlaw is on his rookie deal through the 2022 season.
This is where the 49ers can look to cut cost and save salary-cap space for the future. Greenlaw is the starter for the future alongside Warner, so 2020 will act as a way of grooming him and allowing him to develop his skills even further.
I know that Alexander has become a fan favorite, so hearing that he should not get the start will likely ripple some ears. But this is the reality of the NFL and a legitimate scenario the 49ers are pondering. This team is phenomenal when it comes to their visions for the future.
And a move like this is exactly that -- a move for the future.
To keep long-term success sustainable, the salary-cap needs to be managed carefully. Keeping a hefty priced linebacker over a vastly cheaper one when the impact is similar is not wise
Alexander will still get snaps at WILL. That much is certain because of what they are paying him. However, he won't be the every-down linebacker that everyone was used to seeing prior to him tearing his pectoral muscle. Greenlaw is the future at the position.
The rookie out of Arkansas was viewed as a promising player in the preseason, but not to the degree of stepping in right away to make an impact. Greenlaw was a major factor in the defense because he was able to keep the unit from dropping off.
Let's also not forget his main highlight last season in Week 17 against the Seahawks when he blew up Jacob Hollister to seal the victory for the 49ers. That hit sealed the 49ers' first-round bye and cleared a path for them to appear in the Super Bowl.
To be quite frank, I have my doubts that a play like that emerges from Alexander. Given how often he whiffed on tackles when he returned in the postseason, I have my doubts he would have made a similar play.
The future is bright for the San Francisco 49ers and it thanks to players like Dre Greenlaw. Starting him at WILL linebacker in 2020 will only cement the team's future success.
