Fred Warner is widely respected as one of the best linebackers in the NFL, but 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan believes Dre Greenlaw also belongs in that conversation.
Shanahan joined Greg Papa on NBC Sports Bay Area's "49ers Game Plan," where he explained why Greenlaw is one of the best overall players.
"Dre [Greenlaw]is one of the best players in the league, so when he's not out there it's huge," Shanahan said. "But I don't want it to sound like our linebackers who came in did bad. You know [Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles] and Oren [Burks] came in there and played very well.
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"Dre is just a little different of an animal. But those guys played a good game. Burks had one of the most impressive plays of the game when he stopped Amari [Cooper] on that long run, just being able to chase him down. Because not many people can do that. But hopefully, we get him [Greenlaw] back this week, because he's a difference maker."
Greenlaw missed the 49ers' Week 6 matchup with the Cleveland Browns after suffering a hamstring injury the week prior. After missing Thursday's practice, Greenlaw was a limited participant in Friday's session, an encouraging sign of progress heading into Monday night's matchup with Minnesota.
It's hard to deny Greenlaw's impact in San Francisco, as the 49ers have boasted a top-five defense in each of the four seasons since they selected Greenlaw in the fifth round of the 2019 NFL draft.
Greenlaw has been as good as ever this year, leading the loaded 49ers defense with over six tackles per game to go along with three tackles for loss and a sack.
San Francisco 49ers
Despite the substantial linebacker depth at their disposal, Shanahan's emphasis on Greenlaw's abilities makes him a pivotal name to monitor as San Francisco's Week 7 clash with the Vikings inches closer.