It appears the 49ers will lose Dre Greenlaw this offseason.
They need to give Brock Purdy a massive extension and likely won’t have enough cap space to make Greenlaw one of the highest-paid linebackers in the NFL.
That’s why Pro Football Focus says the 49ers should draft Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Elandon Roberts.
“After failing to make the playoffs, the 49ers will find themselves at a crossroads during the 2025 offseason,” writes PFF analyst Bradley Locker. “While dealing with Brock Purdy’s likely extension, San Francisco will need potential reinforcements at tackle and cornerback. Don’t rule out adding a linebacker or two via free agency, either. Roberts produced a career-high 77.2 overall PFF grade this season, buoyed by his 90.4 PFF run defense grade – the sixth-best grade among defenders with 400 snaps or more has been more of an issue For Roberts, but the 30-year-old could help solidify a linebacker group that ranks just 26th in PFF run defense, even with Fred Warner.
The 49ers absolutely need to improve their run defense and strengthen their linebacker corps. Which means Roberts would be a solid addition. Fred Warner is certainly a coverage specialist who needs a violent defender alongside him. It’s Roberts.
Still, the 49ers would be better off drafting a linebacker than drafting a veteran, as they are already one of the oldest teams in the NFL. They need to get younger and faster, and Roberts would help them in those areas.
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