Dre Greenlaw, whose three-week window to return to action was opened Monday, participated in simulated games during 49ers practice Wednesday.
San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan detailed Greenlaw’s “mock games” on Wednesday with reporters and discussed the star linebacker’s recovery from the Achilles tear he suffered against the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVIII.
“I didn't watch him or anything, but I mean that's what all our guys kind of go through who are on IR,” Shanahan said, “like [safety Talanoa Hufanga] Huf's doing that this week. You're just not allowed to be with coaches or anything like that until you open their window. So they don't like their first time doing true football drills and everything to be that.”
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Sounds pretty standard.
49ers president of football operations John Lynch also discussed these “mock practices” with KNBR’s Brian Murphy and Markus Boucher on Tuesday and said San Francisco is easing Greenlaw back into the mix.
The 49ers want to be careful with Greenlaw. He’s an integral part of the defense and is the missing half to superstar teammate and fellow inside linebacker Fred Warner.
Shanahan went on to share more of Greenlaw’s ramp-up schedule, which is typical for most players returning from long injury stints.
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“So when they go out on their own with their training staff, they're doing less rehab stuff and more doing like what they would do in individual, a trainer taking them through that, doing the reps of what they do in practice,” Shanahan added. “They try to get a normal practice week in so they can get their yards, all their output and input, whatever it is, for the GPSs and everything that they do in a normal Wednesday practice to see how sore they are on Thursday.
“Then they do that same thing on Thursday to see how sore they are on Friday. Then they try to have a workout on Sunday to see that. And they do that and then we open up their window and then they have three weeks to go through that before we can make a decision.”
Lynch added on Tuesday that “I think that’s the expectation,” concerning Greenlaw’s likeness of playing during the 2024 NFL season.
Over his last two seasons, Greenlaw collected 247 tackles and 14 passes defended. His nearing return not only is a testament to the fifth-year veteran’s determination, but also a glimmer of promise to the struggling 49ers.
Hopefully for San Francisco, Greenlaw’s simulated games turn into real ones soon enough.