There’s a chance for a linebacker reunion for the San Francisco 49ers. Bobby Wagner, an unrestricted free agent, collaborated with assistant linebackers coach K.J. Wright and new defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen.
Azeez Al-Shaair, who played elite football with the Tennessee Titans this past season, is an additional choice. The 49ers are unlikely to engage in a bidding war for an off-ball linebacker the day after asking their highly compensated defensive lineman to accept a wage reduction. Al-Shaair is expected to cost too much money.
The Super Bowl injury to Dre Greenlaw’s Achilles might push the Niners to make a linebacker move this offseason. If that turns out to be the case, it’s difficult to see the squad succeeding with a player next to the inexperienced Fred Warner.
Lavonte David, a linebacker for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, is a candidate to replace Greenlaw, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler:
In 2023, David had 4.5 sacks, 23 tackles for loss, and a coverage yardage average of just 4.7 yards per target. Before Warner took up that position, David was regarded as one of the NFL’s top linebackers just a few seasons ago. Since 2018, David’s health has remained largely stable, missing just six games.
Jordan Hicks is a person to watch. He attended Texas, has three seasons of solid performance under his belt, and is a veteran. He hadn’t missed any time since 2018. This was the first year.
Willie Gay Jr. and Jordyn Brooks, the other Seattle linebacker who is younger than Wagner and has outstanding covering skills, are additional choices that would make sense.
