San Francisco 49ers 2023 Linebackers Position Watch

The San Francisco 49ers have had a strong core of linebackers for the last couple of years. This year they are set with two of them, but there are questions about which of the 2023 linebackers will also be on the field with them. Azeez Al-Shaair has left the team to go be the top guy with the Tennessee Titans, but now there is a competition in San Francisco. Here is a look at the 2023 linebackers on the 49ers and who has a chance of stepping up this year.

San Francisco 49ers’ 2023 Linebackers

The 49ers’ linebacker group has been scary good. The team’s past two defensive coordinators were linebackers’ coaches first. It is safe to say over the past couple of years; it is one of the most solid positions on the team. Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw have become a fearsome duo. The 49ers do have solid depth, but with Al-Shaair no longer on the team, they are looking for a player to step up. It is still a training camp, which means numerous players are competing for a roster spot. Here is a look at the 49ers’ 2023 linebackers core and who can step up before rosters begin to be trimmed down.

Fred Warner

It only seems right to start by talking about the top linebacker on the team, and that is Fred Warner. Warner has been with the team ever since 2018, and in his five years, he has made his name known around the league. He is essentially the quarterback on the defense. His leadership role has been a big reason why the defense is as strong as it is in San Francisco. This will be the first year in Warner’s career that the defensive coordinator was not a linebackers’ coach, but because he is a natural leader, that is okay.

In his five years with the 49ers, Warner has had 634 combined tackles, 411 of which were solo, and 25 tackles for loss, according to Pro Football Reference. He has also had 25 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks. Warner is a player that is all over the field. He follows the ball as quickly as possible, resulting in 35 pass deflections and four interceptions. The linebackers have also had seven forced fumbles and six fumble recoveries. It would be exciting if Warner could score more, but he is already a huge reason to be excited about the 49ers’ 2023 linebackers.

Dre Greenlaw

Side by side with Warner as one of the 2023 linebackers is Dre Greenlaw. The linebacker was a part of that big 2019 NFL Draft by the 49ers. While maybe Greenlaw is not crazy well known across the league the way Warner is, that does not mean he is not a tough player to face. Greenlaw faced injuries in the 2021 season and came back better than ever in 2022. In the 2023 off-season, the linebacker got surgery on his thumb. It was a minor surgery to fix it up, but expect him to use the fix-up to force fumbles.

Greenlaw became a starter quickly for San Francisco. In his four years, Greenlaw has had 326 combined tackles, 217 of which were solo, and 13 tackles for loss, according to Pro Football Reference. He has also had 13 quarterback hits and two sacks. While he may not always be on the quarterback, Greenlaw has had three interceptions for one touchdown and two fumble recoveries, both of which were returned for touchdowns. As for fixing up that thumb, he has had two forced fumbles and expects more. The Greenlaw Warner duo is the main reason the 2023 linebackers on this team will be tough to face.

Oren Burks

Of the veterans currently on the roster, Oren Burks is the one most likely to replace Al-Shaair. This is not to say he will, but most likely, of the 2023 linebackers who have been in the league for years now, there have been reporters out there who argue he will be the one to step up. There are younger players he will have to compete with for that spot as well. Burks will be entering his sixth year in the league. He spent his first four years with the Greenbay Packers before joining the 49ers in 2022.

Burks was the starter for just three games in 2022 but did play in all 17. In the 17 games, Burks had 38 combined tackles, 15 of which were solo, and one tackle for loss, according to Pro Football Focus. He also had 0.5 sacks and one quarterback hit. Burks has the chance to step up and be a big player this season, but there will be solid competition.

Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles

A similar player to Burks is Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles. The linebacker has been with the team for a couple of years now and can definitely fight for a starting job. Flannigan-Fowles has been with the team for three years. For the first two years, he was listed as a defensive back, and in 2022 he was officially put down as a linebacker 2022. The reason it is believable that Burks has the edge over Flannigan-Fowles is that Burks had starts last season while Flannigan-Fowles did not.

In his three years with the team, Flannigan-Fowles had 60 combined tackles, 32 of which were solo, and one tackle for loss, according to Pro Football Reference. He also had one quarterback hit and one sack. Just because Burks has a higher chance to make it as a starter does not mean that Flannigan-Fowles should be underestimated. The 2023 linebackers on this roster run deep.

Marcelino McCrary-Ball

Linebacker Marcelino McCrary-Ball has never played in an NFL regular season game, but he is a fan favorite to be one of the 2023 linebackers to start for the 49ers. All that fans have seen regarding McCrary-Ball in the NFL is the 2022 pre-season. He has some solid plays, but there is so much unknown about him. What fans have seen did get them excited, though. While it was just pre-season, McCrary-Ball did intercept a pass thrown by Jordan Love.

As for 2023, all that can be discussed is training camp reports. McCrary-Ball did drop an interception, which will cause a slight step back in terms of the race for Al-Shaair’s old spot. Aside from the dropped interception, the linebacker has had numerous pass breakups. In one practice, Greenlaw did not participate, and it was McCrary-Ball who got the first-team reps. This makes the race for the 2023 linebackers to make the final roster much closer.

Dee Winters

Dee Winters is one of the 2023 linebackers that there is a lot of excitement around. Winters was drafted in the 2023 NFL draft. While he will have to compete hard if he wants to star this year, he has been exciting at camp so far. Greenlaw has even spoken highly of the rookie. Greenlaw called Winters a great athlete and spoke of how well he can turn out as a player. Winters has also caught an interception in camp this year.

Winters played linebacker for TCU for four years before being drafted by the 49ers. In four years, Winters had 246 combined tackles, 160 of which were solo, and 33.5 tackles for loss, according to Sports Reference. He also had 12.5 sacks and seven pass deflections in his collegiate career. As for turnovers, he had three interceptions and one touchdown. He also had two fumble recoveries, one of which was returned for a touchdown. Winters can be one of the 2023 linebackers on the roster this year, but he will have to work hard for it.

Jalen Graham

Jalen Graham is another rookie among the 2023 linebackers. Graham played both safety and linebacker for Purdue before joining San Francisco. Having experience at both positions can help Graham gain a roster spot, even if it is not as a starter. Of the two rookies, Winters will have the edge, but who knows what will happen by the time the season officially begins.

In his four years at Purdue, Graham had 169 combined tackles, 118 of which were solo, 12.5 tackles for loss, and just two sacks, according to Sports Reference. He also had 13 pass deflections, three interceptions, one for a touchdown, and two fumble recoveries, one of which was for a touchdown. Realistically, Graham may not play in the 2023 season, but he can make a big splash during the preseason.

Curtis Robinson

Among the 2023 linebackers on the San Francisco roster is Curtis Robinson. He has been on the team for a bit now but never really made an impact on the field. He was first with the Denver Broncos in 2021 before joining the 49ers. He was also with the team in 2022 but never saw game action. Robinson is more of a depth piece on the 49ers, which is still just as important. It is unlikely that Robinson will play in 2023, but having competition for depth is just as important.

Kyahva Tezino

The final player that is still currently listed as one of the 2023 linebackers on the roster is Kyahva Tezino. Tezino most recently played in the USFL with the Pittsburgh Maulers. Tezino is only 26 and played well in 2023 for the Maulers. He was looking to continue to play football professionally and joined the 49ers to compete. Similarly to Robinson, it is unlikely that Tezino will make the final roster, but getting this opportunity is important. For the Maulers, Tezino had 94 total tackles and two interceptions, according to Fox Sports. It will be exciting to see what he can do and if he can compete with the other 2023 linebackers.

The 2023 linebackers for the San Francisco 49ers are stacked. Everyone knows Greenlaw and Warner are the top two, but having this competition behind them is exciting. Depth is important, but competition for an open spot will bring out the best in everyone. The first pre-season game for the 49ers will be on Sunday, August 13th. It may just be pre-season, but it is the perfect spot for these players to show off what they can do.