SANTA CLARA — The 49ers and linebacker Dre Greenlaw appear to be in agreement on one topic.
Now, the 49ers hope to be able to come to terms with Greenlaw on a deal in the offseason.
Coach Kyle Shanahan on Thursday said Greenlaw will not play in the 49ers’ final two games of the regular season.
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“He understood,” Shanahan said of Greenlaw.
Greenlaw sat out the first 13 games of the 2024 season coming off a torn left Achilles tendon, which he sustained in the Super Bowl.
In his first game back, he played half of the game before leaving with discomfort in his knee.
On Sunday, he played just four snaps before leaving with a calf strain against the Miami Dolphins.
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The 49ers wanted to shut down Greenlaw for the final two games, but they also wanted Greenlaw to be completely on board with the decision.
After all, Greenlaw is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent in the offseason. He might have wanted to finish the season on the field to make a case for a sizable free-agent contract.
Linebacker Fred Warner, a close friend of Greenlaw, suggested after Sunday’s game that sometimes Greenlaw needs to be protected from himself. He said Greenlaw is always going to want to play even when he might be putting himself at risk.
“I’m always going to be looking out for Dre because that’s like my little brother,” Warner said. “I’m always going to want what’s best for him.
“Obviously, we’d love to have him to finish the season off, especially myself. But at the end of the day, his health is what’s most important.”
Greenlaw, 27, is a six-year NFL veteran whose status as a free agent is likely going to impact his value on the free-agent market.
Warner said Greenlaw’s upbeat nature makes it difficult to gauge exactly how he’s dealing with the situation of being able to play just 34 snaps of defense this season.
“You never really know because he’s always got a smile on his face,” Warner said. “He’s always telling you that everything is great. He has a great mindset.
“You also know he has gone through a tough time when it comes to the injuries and everything else. He’s made of the right stuff and he has great perspective on everything.”