Why the Return of Dre Greenlaw is a Massive Boost to the 49ers Defense

Reinforcements have arrived for the San Francisco 49ers.

Finally, after weeks of having players drop like flies, they are finally getting some of those players back in time for their Week 5 matchup with the Miami Dolphins.

Jimmy Garoppolo is set to return after recovering from a high-ankle sprain as well as stalwart running back Raheem Mostert. The offense should look back to normal come Sunday.

One player who is being overlooked as part of the reinforcement is linebacker Dre Greenlaw.

It is easy for some people to forget about him given the fact that Garoppolo and Mostert are the bigger names that get the ball rolling. But Greenlaw actually has a heavy impact when he is on the field too.

The return of Greenlaw is a massive boost to the 49ers' defense.

"Dre is a hell of a player," said head coach Kyle Shanahan at his presser on Friday. "Everyone knows what he did for us last year. He's a guy who doesn't mess up. He does his job. He's a very sure tackler and he also has a knack for making plays. So, getting Dre back is huge and can't wait to get him in there.”

I would even take Shanahan's answer a bit further.

Greenlaw gives the 49ers an injection of flexibility and comfortability. He excels both against the run and against the pass, which allows the 49ers to remain in base defense more often since each of their starting linebackers is capable of covering. That presents a hurdle for every offensive coordinator to jump over because they are forced to get real creative to get around the defense.

With "Big Play Dre" out there, the 49ers have an increased likelihood of forcing a turnover. His return comes at a perfect time since nickel cornerback K'Waun Williams was officially placed on Injured Reserve Saturday. Williams is the 49ers' best player at forcing turnovers and the next best is Greenlaw. Since Williams is out, nickel might not be used as heavily for the 49ers, so Greenlaw steps back onto the field as a much needed reinforcement to the defense.

And considering the 49ers will still be without Richard Sherman and Emmanuel Moseley, they can avoid having to expose their glaring weakness in the secondary, so I would expect Week 5 to be the heaviest usage of base defense for the 49ers this season.

Plus, there is a chance defensive coordinator Robert Saleh won't play Kwon Alexander as much when he feels the need to use the nickel package.

You could even say that Greenlaw's return will boost the 49ers' swagger and energy. That is something Alexander provided the defense last season, yet it hasn't turned up in 2020. Greenlaw might be that player now as even the simplest of tackles gets him riled up.

Either way, it is sure to be an inspiring sight to see him flying around like the heat-seeking missile he is.