The San Francisco 49ers will be down one key player on defense in their next game, and it surprisingly won't be due to injury.
Dre Greenlaw will be out of the 49ers' Week 6 contest after the NFL suspended him for his headbutt on a helmetless Ernest Jones in the win over the Seattle Seahawks.
Being without Greenlaw is a bummer, but the 49ers will actually be perfectly fine without him. Let's dive into the three reasons why they will be.
Capable linebackers
When Greenlaw was ejected, the 49ers used rookie Jaden Dugger in his stead on base-packages. Dugger did well in this role, so he'll be the first to look at for filling in.
He doesn't get utilized a ton in nickel packages, but I think the 49ers will work him in more there during practice this week. Garrett Wallow would've been an option, but he'll be out with a hamstring injury.
Luke Gifford will be another player they will consider, but I wouldn't call him a "capable" player. Dugger is their best option, and he's more than fine at filling in for Greenlaw.
It's also possible the 49ers look at Tatum Bethune there. He was a healthy scratch against the Seahawks, so we'll see if the 49ers think he can go out there and help.
Raheem Morris can adapt
If the linebackers aren't as capable as the 49ers think, then Raheem Morris will adapt. He's done a tremendous job this season so far, and there's no reason to doubt his ability to mask Greenlaw's absence.
The only thing he can't account for is Greenlaw's energy. That intensity is something he can't help with, but he can move his defense around to account for what Greenlaw was giving them.
It won't be perfect, but he should be able to get the defense to cover up Greenlaw's loss enough, especially since whoever fills in for him will likely be a prime target to be thrown and run at.
Facing the Commanders
Whether the first two points work out or not, at the end of the day, the 49ers will be facing the lowly Washington Commanders. They are insanely mediocre.
Do the 49ers need Greenlaw to beat them? Absolutely not. If they did, they'd have a massive problem on their hands.
Defeating the Commanders should be a lock. They're coming off an embarrassing tie with the New York Giants after Jayden Daniels and Dan Quinn's overtime blunder.
The Commanders are in shambles, with their defense as their only decent aspect. San Francisco's defense will be perfectly fine without Greenlaw against a terrible offense.
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