Should the 49ers reunite with this recently-released former star?

The San Francisco 49ers have the opportunity to reunite with one of their former star defensive players. The Denver Broncos reportedly released linebacker Dre Greenlaw on Thursday, per ESPN's Adam Schefter, one year after he left the 49ers in free agency.

Greenlaw played his first six seasons for San Francisco after being drafted in the fifth round in 2019. He had started 56 of 64 games over that span, where he tallied 455 combined tackles, 18 tackles for a loss, 3.5 sacks, three interceptions and 14 defended passes.

As evidenced by his release, Greenlaw didn't have a great lone season in Denver after he signed a three-year, $35 million contract with the Broncos. He missed the first six weeks of the season with a hamstring injury and only played in seven games in 2025. Greenlaw finished the year with 43 combined tackles, one sack, one interception, two defended passes and one forced fumble.

The 49ers don't have a clear need at the position Greenlaw would play at the WILL linebacker position, but a familiar face would certainly be helpful for the 49ers' defense in 2025. Dee Winters stepped up admirably in Greenlaw's role this past year with 101 combined tackles, eight tackles for a loss and one interception (that was returned for a touchdown).

If Greenlaw wants to come back to the 49ers in a smaller role, a reunion makes sense. The money also needs to make sense for San Francisco, too, for this to happen. It's unclear if the 49ers or Greenlaw even want to reconvene, but the option is now out there with Greenlaw on the open market.

This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: NFL free agency: Should the 49ers reunite with this former star?