The San Francisco 49ers have had enough bad injury luck so far in 2026, losing players at what seems an unprecedented rate and still winning games despite those setbacks.
Before facing their hated rival, the Dallas Cowboys, on Sunday in Week 10, the 49ers started the day with some great injury news and doubled down just before the game when starting inside linebacker Dre Greenlaw was on the active roster for the game.
“Trent Williams and Dre Greenlaw are active for Week 10,” the 49ers wrote on their official X account on Sunday afternoon.
News that Williams would play broke early Sunday morning.
Greenlaw was dealing with a knee injury that he tested out during the week. He missed the 49ers’ Week 6 win over the Washington Commanders with a 1-game suspension for a late hit.
The 49ers are 7-1, and Greenlaw is second on the team with 57 tackles.
49ers Brought Greenlaw Back After One Year Away
On the same day the Denver Broncos officially released Greenlaw, the San Francisco 49ers signed their former inside linebacker to a 1-year, $6 million contract.
“Reunion: The 49ers are signing back one of their former stars, agreeing to terms with LB Dre Greenlaw, sources say,” NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport wrote on his official X account. “The former SF draft pick spent last season with the Broncos and now returns on a 1-year, $7.5M deal.”
Greenlaw spent 1 season with the Broncos in 2025 after signing a 3-year, $31.5 million but spent his first 6 seasons with the 49ers.
“Many in 49ers building believe they shouldn’t have let Greenlaw leave in free agency last year,” ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler wrote on X. “Wouldn’t make the same mistake again.”
Broncos Quickly Parted Ways With Greenlaw
The Broncos decided to release Greenlaw on March 12, and the 49ers signed him back later that day.
“The Broncos are releasing Dre Greenlaw, per source,” DNVR’s Zac Stevens wrote on his official X account. “By releasing Dre Greenlaw, Broncos have $4.33M in dead money, but save $6M in cap space.”
Greenlaw’s health was an issue for Denver beginning in the preseason, which he missed almost entirely with a mysterious injury issue that also led to him missing 9 regular-season games.
Even when he was healthy, Greenlaw couldn’t seem to get it right, including serving a one-game suspension for a postgame confrontation with a game official.
Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine put Greenlaw at the top of his list of possible salary cap casualties for the Broncos this offseason on February 1 — just days after a 10-7 home loss to the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game.
“The Broncos are in a nice spot financially so they don’t have to get too ruthless to clear space.” Ballentine wrote. “However, it’s worth revisiting the Dre Greenlaw signing. The Broncos inked him to a three-year, $31.5 million contract, but they’ve left themselves wiggle room to get out of it. The signing was a bet that Greenlaw could put his injury issues behind him, but that wasn’t the case. The 28-year-old was in and out of the lineup this season with groin, ankle, hamstring and quad injuries. He ultimately wound up only playing 58 percent of the snaps in eight games.”
49ers Get More Good Injury News for Cowboys Game