The NFL world will not yet forget about Dre.
After an encouraging week ramping back up to a full participant in practice, the Broncos are activating inside linebacker Dre Greenlaw off injured reserve for Sunday’s matchup with the New York Giants, the team announced Saturday.
The writing was on the wall since Greenlaw was listed as questionable on Friday’s injury report, and Denver waived QB3 Sam Ehlinger to create a roster spot. Ehlinger was signed to the practice squad on Saturday, as expected.
Now, the stage is set for Greenlaw to make his debut in a Broncos jersey. Denver signed Greenlaw to a three-year deal in free agency with the hopes he’d be a difference-maker in toughness and coverage in the middle of the defense. Setbacks across rehab from a quad tear suffered in April, though, pushed his timeline back so substantially that Denver placed him on injured reserve in Week 3. Now, though, the inside linebacker “feels like his normal self,” as father Brian Early previously told The Denver Post.
Defensive coordinator Vance Joseph said this week that his return would “maybe” be in a part-time role, and Joseph made clear that fill-in Justin Strnad will still receive a package of snaps moving forward.
It’s clear, too, that Joseph views Greenlaw as more of an upgrade rather than a system-shifting force.
“It won’t change much schematically,” Joseph said this week. “I think, obviously, when you have a good player, it helps you become a better defense. So, schematically, a lot of things won’t change. He’s been a great player for a long time, and that won’t change.”
Greenlaw grew into one of the best linebackers in the league in San Francisco in 2022 and 2023, but missed all but two games in 2024 rehabbing from an Achilles tear.
“He feels like there’s a part of him missing when he’s not able to … do what he was born to do,” Early told The Post.
His return will no doubt be emotional, inside of a Broncos-Giants matchup that’s already brimming with plenty of juice.
Footnote: The Broncos also announced the release of defensive back A.J. Woods from the practice squad, as well as the release of receiver Thayer Thomas from the practice squad with an injury settlement.
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