The 49ers may lose Dre Greenlaw to free agency, but going after a cheap replacement in Tyrel Dodson could have alleviate the loss.
It's appearing more and more likely star linebacker Dre Greenlaw isn't going to return to the San Francisco 49ers when free agency hits this March.
Not only did Greenlaw end up being the subject of some worrisome social media posts from his circle about not returning, but even The Athletic's Matt Barrows hinted the hard-hitting defender wanted to pursue other opportunities entering 2025.
Thanks to Greenlaw missing all but two games last season after suffering an Achilles tear in the middle of Super Bowl 58, the Niners learned firsthand what it was like not to have him on the field.
In short, it wasn't pretty.
San Francisco's experiment with veteran backer De'Vondre Campbell turned into a fiasco, while Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles and Dee Winters provided little relief. While the younger Winters still has youth and potential on his side, the 49ers lack experienced depth behind All-Pro Fred Warner.
Should Greenlaw depart, the issue gets magnified even further.
The Niners need to invest in their defense this offseason, but a looming contract extension for quarterback Brock Purdy means they can't overspend on any one particular free agent, thereby highlighting some low-budget options.
Enter 26-year-old linebacker Tyrel Dodson.
49ers can 'kick the tires' on Tyrel Dodson in free agency
The Philadelphia Eagles' Zack Baun might have been on San Francisco's radar as a free-agent replacement for Greenlaw, but his stellar postseason campaign all but guaranteed he'll sign a big-money deal elsewhere.
Instead, a cap-conscious 49ers team could eye Dodson.
Pro Football Focus cited Dodson as an under-the-radar free-agent option, citing his abilities as a coverage linebacker as something teams would covet:
"Dodson’s 2024 season did not necessarily go as planned after he signed a one-year deal with the Seattle Seahawks. Seattle waived him mid-season, and the Dolphins then claimed him before he missed time due to injury. Dodson was still playing at a high level and proved that he can be an above-average starter for a lot of teams.
While the 26-year-old's 67.3 PFF overall grade ranked only 34th among 84 qualifying linebackers, he truly stood out as a coverage defender with his third-ranked 82.9 PFF coverage grade. He struggles against the run, evidenced by a poor 47.0 PFF run-defense grade in 2023, but his contributions in coverage should have a lot of teams interested in signing him. Good coverage linebackers are a bigger need than ever before."
True, the run-defense woes are concerning, especially in light of the Niners' issues here last season. But Greenlaw cut his teeth in the Bay Area as an exceptional coverage backer, while Campbell was the polar opposite.
Plus, beefing up the interior of San Francisco's defensive line could help alleviate any concerns about Dodson's run defense.
On top of that, Dodson surely wouldn't mind "sticking it" to the Hawks twice a year after they parted ways with him in the middle of 2024. That could be an added bonus.
Either way, the 49ers require a contingency plan if Greenlaw leaves (and it's looking as if that'll be the case), and Dodson could be a quality option to fill the void.
