The suspension of Dre Greenlaw is disappointing for the San Francisco 49ers, but it also opens the door to what the future could look like for the team. Rookie Jaden Dugger has been the 49ers' starting SAM linebacker, but that is a less prominent role.
With Greenlaw out, he is likely going to get his first start at WILL, which means playing the majority of the snaps in Week 6.
San Francisco 49ers Rookie in for Bigger Role in 2026
Dugger played 55.7% of the 49ers' snaps in their blowout win over the Los Angeles Rams in Week 1. He has not played that much since. In Week 2, Dugger played 30.5% of the defensive snaps and then played 37.9% of the snaps in Week 3.
He dipped to just 15 snaps and 22.7% of the snaps overall. This speaks to his role being dependent on the game script. However, he played a career-high 47 snaps and 75% of the snaps with Greenlaw out of the game. This is a much different role.
The 49ers could have kept him as the SAM and played Garrett Wallow more, which is what happened when Greenlaw went down earlier in the year. However, Wallow is going to miss time as well due to an injury. Now that he is going to be out for another game, it gives the rookie a chance to be a full-time starter for the first time.
The former fifth-round pick from Louisiana was known for his versatility in college. He aligned everywhere from the edge to linebacker and safety. The 49ers have been taking advantage of his versatility in his limited role, but this will provide him more of a chance to focus on a specific position.
The question becomes what happens if Dugger plays well. Week 5 was arguably his best game as an NFL player. He embraced the change in role. His athleticism and potential are hard to deny, and if things go right, the plan would be for the 49ers to let Greenlaw go this offseason and have Dugger step into a bigger role. If he can continue to play well to the point where it is not hurting the team, and he is growing into the role he will play next season, does the team really need to go back to Greenlaw? This could be a major opportunity.
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