The Denver Broncos paid a price for moving on from Dre Greenlaw this offseason.
On Sunday, they got another reminder.
Greenlaw suited up for the San Francisco 49ers against his former team as San Francisco handed Denver a Week 4 loss. The veteran linebacker was active despite entering the game questionable with a quadriceps injury.
Making the reunion sting a little more: Greenlaw is still costing the Broncos $2.166 million against their 2026 salary cap.
Denver released Greenlaw in March with a post-June 1 designation, spreading the remaining dead-money charge from his contract across two seasons. The Broncos carry approximately $2.17 million of that charge in 2026 and will absorb another roughly $2.17 million in 2027.
So while the 49ers are now signing Greenlaw’s checks, part of his old Broncos contract remains very much alive in Denver.
Dre Greenlaw’s Broncos Contract Still Has a Price
Denver signed Greenlaw to a three-year, $31.5 million contract before the 2025 season, including $11.5 million guaranteed.
The partnership lasted one season.
Greenlaw appeared in only eight regular-season games for Denver, recording 43 tackles, one sack, one interception and one forced fumble. Injuries limited his availability, and the Broncos released him before the second year of the deal.
Using the post-June 1 designation helped Denver create substantially more immediate cap room. Over The Cap calculated that Greenlaw’s scheduled 2026 cap number dropped from approximately $10.36 million to $2.17 million, creating about $8.19 million in cap savings.
The trade-off was simple: Denver could get Greenlaw off the roster, but it could not completely get him off the books.
And the Broncos will still be accounting for him next year.
Greenlaw Returned to Familiar Ground With 49ers
Greenlaw’s departure from Denver quickly turned into a reunion.
The linebacker returned to San Francisco on a one-year, $6 million fully guaranteed contract, according to Over The Cap.
It was a return to the organization that originally selected him in the fifth round of the 2019 NFL Draft.
Greenlaw spent his first six NFL seasons with San Francisco before joining Denver, establishing himself as a key piece next to Fred Warner during multiple deep playoff runs. His one-year Broncos detour ultimately produced just eight regular-season appearances before the two sides separated.
Sunday brought the two chapters together.
Greenlaw was healthy enough to face Denver after dealing with a quad contusion during the week, while the Broncos had to look across the field at a player they committed significant money to just a year earlier.
The $2.166 million figure isn’t a salary Denver is currently paying Greenlaw to play for San Francisco. It is dead money, previously committed compensation that still counts against the Broncos’ cap.
It probably does not make the timing feel much better.
Broncos Lose to 49ers With Dre Greenlaw Still Costing Them $2.2 Million