Linebackers might be NFL’s best

The 49ers’ pass rush gets a ton of the credit for the team’s defensive success, but the real key lies in the way their group of linebackers controls the second level. There may not be a better LB corps in the league going into 2022.

San Francisco’s defensive line plays a Wide-9 style that forces linebackers to step in and fill gaps in the run game, which they do effectively. They also cover very well and can take away the quick, over-the-middle passing attack that teams thrive on in the modern NFL.

There’s not a ton of intrigue from a roster standpoint going into the year. Their starters are established and their depth is pretty strong. One battle to watch though will be between Dre Greenlaw and Azeez Al-Shaair for the starting Will LB job. That spot is on the field for three downs, while the third (Sam LB) is typically off the field in sub packages. Here’s what the LB group looks like going into camp:

Fred Warner

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Good luck finding a more prototypical modern LB than Warner. He’s athletic, has a tremendous football IQ, and is as good against the run as he is in coverage. Warner got off to a tough start in 2021 after being named an All-Pro in 2020, but it was evident by the end of the season that he’s still the game’s best off-ball linebacker. As long as he anchors the middle of the 49ers’ defense, they’re going to be hard to move the ball against.

Dre Greenlaw

(AP Photo/Lon Horwedel)

Greenlaw, a fifth-round pick in 2019, put together a nice rookie year and was good again in 2020. Last season he was hurt for most of the year, but had his best season in a small sample size. He’s not perfect and sometimes struggles against the run. He also doesn’t offer much as a blitzer. Greenlaw is an effective player alongside Warner though and his improvement in coverage last season should give him a leg up in the race for the Will LB spot.

Azeez Al-Shaair

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Al-Shaair was the next man up when Greenlaw went down with a groin injury in Week 1 last year. He slid from Sam to Will and had some clear ups and downs. There were missed assignments in coverage and tons of whiffed tackles, but when he was on he looked like one of the best LBs in football. It’s all about consistency for Al-Shaair this year. If he can cut down on the missed tackles and be a more effective player in coverage,…