49ers' Faith in Dre Greenlaw is Justified
The San Francisco 49ers will be without one of their best defenders for the biggest matchup of the season on Monday as they play their first game without linebacker Kwon Alexander, but there is little concern over the rookie taking his place.
A torn pectoral will keep Alexander, signed to a four-year, $54million contract in free agency, out for the rest of the season. Fifth-round rookie Dre Greenlaw will replace Alexander at weak-side linebacker and has big shoes to fill, particularly when it comes to pass coverage.
Alexander's passer rating allowed of 67.4 was the second-lowest among linebackers, according to Pro Football Focus, but San Francisco defensive coordinator Robert Saleh has full confidence in Greenlaw's ability to fill the void.
"His energy, his juice, obviously his playmaking ability," Saleh said when asked about what the Niners will miss most about Alexander. "There's going to be a lot to miss, but we've got tremendous faith in Dre Greenlaw and the guys that are going to step up in his place."
Greenlaw has largely seen time in base at the strong-side linebacker spot, meaning his coverage responsibilities have been limited.
However, he has flashed extremely impressive athletic ability in pursuit and when rushing the passer in his first year in the league. That should translate to pass coverage for a player who displayed plenty of promise in that area at Arkansas. Greenlaw had two interceptions in his final college season and proved himself capable of reading the quarterback's eyes and changing his assignment on the fly.
Those capabilities figure to be stretched to the limit by Russell Wilson when the Seahawks' MVP candidate gets on the move and extends the play. Yet Greenlaw, who had three tackles and a sack against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 9, should relish the opportunity to step up, having quickly adapted to life in the NFL and produced performances that belied his draft status.
"He's played a lot in base this year, so he's been out there," head coach Kyle Shanahan said of Greenlaw. "The game never seems too big for him. He's used to being out there. He's just going to be out there in all situations now.
"He had a good week of practice. It was nice to get a bunch more reps for him, especially in the nickel situations. I'm not worried about Greenlaw, excited to see him play."
Greenlaw's opportunities to prove his playmaking ability have not exactly been plentiful, but when he has been on the field both in the preseason and regular season, the former Razorback has displayed a nose for the football akin to that of Alexander.
Shanahan is therefore right to be excited to see if Greenlaw can build on those flashes and produce consistently strong performances. The inevitable drop-off from Alexander needs to be minimal. If Greenlaw can repay the 49ers' faith and ensure it is, the chances of him and San Francisco playing deep into January will continue to improve.
