Vance Joseph Hints at Why Justin Strnad Won Out Over Dre Greenlaw

When a mistake has been made, it’s best to admit it, rip off the band-aid, and move on. Such was the case with the Denver Broncos’ signing of veteran linebacker Dre Greenlaw last year.

The Broncos had high hopes for Greenlaw, but they were contingent on him avoiding the injury bug, which was a tall order, considering his history. He ended up getting injured before the Broncos even started their offseason training program, and it served as a harbinger for how the team’s experiment with him would pan out.

The Broncos released Greenlaw in March, and he quickly landed on his feet, re-signing with the San Francisco 49ers. It wasn’t just Greenlaw’s trouble staying on the field or his purported issues picking up Vance Joseph’s scheme; Justin Strnad’s emergence last season was also a motivating factor.

The Broncos re-signed Justin Strnad in March, along with Alex Singleton, to serve as their starting inside linebacker duo. All of Strnad’s hard work and patience paid off, as the Broncos gave him a multi-year deal and a huge raise.

Joseph spoke to the Greenlaw situation on Thursday, and how the Broncos’ confidence in Strnad may have given them the confidence to cut bait.

“Part of it is simply football business. We love Dre, but the reality is you can't sign everyone,” Joseph said. “You need players to step up and play for you. Justin has played for us for two seasons and has earned the right to have a chance to start.”

Strnad Stepped Up

The implication is that Strnad stepped up and that Greenlaw didn’t. There’s some truth to that, from what we’ve learned since Greenlaw departed.

Since his release, Greenlaw has spoken about the struggles he faced in Denver last year and how unhappy he was with his situation. Meanwhile, as Greenlaw dealt with those issues and injuries to boot, Strnad was the one who stepped up and played hard for Joseph.

“He played well for us two years ago, and last year he played really well for us,” Joseph said of Strnad. “It's his turn. He was drafted to do this, and he's ready for it.”

The Broncos drafted Strnad in the fifth round in 2020. He suffered a wrist injury in training camp, which caused him to redshirt his rookie year, but from there, he worked his way into a role on defense by playing unselfishly on special teams and capitalizing on his opportunities.

Last season, Strnad started eight games, totaling 58 tackles (23 solo), five for a loss, a career-high 4.5 sacks, an interception, and three passes defensed. After re-signing him to a string of one-year, cheap deals, the Broncos finally rewarded him with a three-year, $18 million contract.

Strnad is firmly part of the Broncos’ future. He was a major contributor to their 14-win season in 2025, and is bought into the team’s Super Bowl ambitions.

“The task is we want to win a Super Bowl and I go to work each and every day for that,” Strnad told The Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson. “It would be the greatest accomplishment in my career and for everyone on this team. So it’s something that we’re striving for every day.”

The Takeaway

Everything happens for a reason. Things didn’t work out with Greenlaw, but the Broncos ended up seeing one of their own draft picks blossom into a formidable starting-caliber linebacker. Silver linings.

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