Dre Greenlaw has taken center stage during the Denver Broncos’ training camp, providing the first full, in-person look at the middle of their defense. As the team starts another season, head coach Sean Payton expresses his enthusiasm for Greenlaw’s capabilities, particularly following his recent three-year, $31.5 million agreement with the franchise.
Before joining the Panthers, Greenlaw spent six seasons with the San Francisco 49ers. Now, he’s incredible experience and developed genius is becoming a Bronco. His tenure in San Francisco included standout performances, notably in the pivotal Week 17 matchup against the Seattle Seahawks in 2019, which secured an NFC West title for the 49ers and paved the way for their Super Bowl LIV appearance.
And as for any concerns about building the actual defensive unit, Payton is a firm believer in the idea of the “football callus.” This principle highlights the cumulative benefits of preseason snaps. It gets players acclimated to the increased physicality of the regular season. He especially praised Greenlaw’s positive impact on the film industry. He continued, “He plays the position to such an impactful level that it just jumps off the film.
Though at least somewhat expected given his pedigree, Greenlaw has been terrific in his first few seasons, exceeding 80 tackles in 2019, 2020, 2023 and 2024. Injuries have derailed his Pro Bowl candidacy. Last season, a calf injury eventually forced the team to shut him down early for the season. Payton confirmed that Greenlaw will be on a training camp and preseason game “pitch count.” This principle should extend to all players returning from injury, including veterans, to make sure they and their teams are ready to hit the ground running for the regular season.
In reflecting on his new role within the Broncos’ defense, Greenlaw expressed excitement about contributing to a team he believes is committed to excellence. Last year, they truly set the standard high, Markey said in a statement. I’d wanted to help them get swept up in that excitement.
The Broncos ended last year with arguably one of the league’s best defenses. General manager George Paton is pleased with their performance and confident that they can raise their game even further. He remarked, “We thought we had pretty good defense last year. But we’re always looking to improve our level of performance.”
Greenlaw’s role on the defense cannot be underestimated just purely as a tackler. He’s incredibly skilled at working with the old guard. He’ll be looking to bounce back and do so alongside fellow free agent acquisition and linebacker Alex Singleton. Singleton had led the Broncos in tackles for two consecutive seasons before an ACL tear derailed his 2022 campaign. The combination of Greenlaw and Singleton can be special. It should do wonders toward recreating and improving upon the defensive fierceness they were able to channel a year ago.
As training camp advances, players and coaches on both sides of the ball will be paying close attention to Greenlaw’s health and his play. His ability on the football field would make an enormous impact on how the Broncos would approach defending against an SEC schedule.
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