How the 49ers Linebackers Stack up With the Rest of the League

The defensive line of the 49ers tends to get the most credit for why the defense is so elite, but the linebacker position is right there with them.

The defensive line of the 49ers tends to get the most credit for why the defense is so elite. 

Given how disruptive they always are against offenses, it makes it tough to not view them as the lead strength on the 49ers defense. However, the linebacker position is right there with them in what makes the defense incredibly successful year in and year out. 

Since 2019, Fred Warner has been a heat seeking missile that no offensive skill player wants any piece of. Then in comes Dre Greenlaw who was solid the moment he came into the league and has only gotten better. The final piece was Azeez Al-Shaair rounding out a phenomenal linebacker corps, but he is now with the Titans. Some quality at the position is low lessened because of his departure. So, how do the 49ers stack up with the rest of the league now?

Well, if you ask Pro Football Focus, they believe that the 49ers are the kings of the league at linebacker. 

The 49ers boast two legitimate stars in

Fred Warner

and

Dre Greenlaw

. Warner is the NFL’s most consistent coverage linebacker and posted a career-high 89.7 run-defense grade this past season, too. Greenlaw had a career year in 2022, earning a 79.6 overall grade bolstered by a nearly 20-point jump in coverage grade.

The group lost situational run defender

Azeez Al-Shaair

in free agency, but

Oren Burks

seems poised to take over that role.

The 49ers have the best pair of linebackers in football and the depth to fill in if one of them were to suffer a short-term injury. They are the current gold standard at the position.

It's tough to argue against the 49ers having the best starting duo at linebacker. Warner is a clear cut All Pro, while Greenlaw is borderline after barely missing out on making the second-team in 2022. Putting these two up against any other duo will give the advantage to the 49ers. However, it is the entire position where I think the 49ers lose their luster here. 

The loss of Al-Shaair is oversimplified by Pro Football Focus. He was more than just a situational run defender. Injuries played a role in his limitations last year as he has proven that when he has nothing nagging him that he can easily be a stellar player. Now, the 49ers will look to Oren Burks, Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles, and a potential young player to step up. Not really a convincing solidification at a position here.

Much of the depth is unproven with the 49ers at linebacker. Even Burks, who despite getting some decent looks last year, is unproven. He only got to show out for a few games, which isn't enough work to really give an assessment/analysis on him. Every player behind Warner and Greenlaw is a variable, so the notion that the 49ers have the "best" linebacker group should really be altered as the best "starting duo" instead.

Did Pro Football Focus get it right?