EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsSANTA CLARA, Calif. -- After wrapping up his reunion with the San Francisco 49ers early in free agency, linebacker Dre Greenlaw quickly turned his attention to recruiting.More specifically, Greenlaw thought the offense could use an enforcer similar to him. He soon reached out to wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr., who, like him, had once been a focal point of the 49ers' culture, departed for one season and was a free agent.Greenlaw's message was simple: There's unfinished business in San Francisco, and he and Samuel can help the team finish it."[I said] 'Let's have a reunion, let's do this thing together,'" Greenlaw said. "This place is just about football ... Sometimes you got to go and go see what's out there, but once you go, you realize, hey, it ain't nothing like San Fran."Although Samuel didn't re-sign with the Niners until July 30, the warm reception he got when he returned to the building was similar to the one Greenlaw got when he arrived for the offseason program in April."It felt like I never left," Samuel said. "They were happy. I was happy. We were ready to get the ball rolling."Both Samuel and Greenlaw are slated to slot back into their prominent roles for the 49ers. Greenlaw will start at weak side linebacker, which was further solidified when the 49ers traded away his replacement (Dee Winters) in April. Samuel will again have a varied role at receiver, running back and kick returner for a depleted skill group.And while they might not be as impactful as they were in their first stint with the team, there's no denying the intangible boost that San Francisco sought in adding Greenlaw and Samuel back into the fold."Those are two just bullies on the offense and the defense," fullback Kyle Juszczyk said. "Guys that set the tone, guys that really motivate others just by the way that they play, the physical nature that both of them play with. And I'm so happy to have both of them."It was about a year and a half ago that Samuel and Greenlaw, both members of the 49ers' 2019 draft class, departed for other opportunities. The Niners attempted to keep Greenlaw in free agency, but he ultimately opted for a three-year, $31.5 million deal with the Broncos. Samuel, meanwhile, had requested a trade after a turbulent 2024 season, and he was eventually traded to the Commanders for a 2025 fifth-round pick.Neither player necessarily found the grass to be greener elsewhere.In Denver, Greenlaw again dealt with injuries. He missed eight games of quadriceps and hamstring issues, and he served a one-game suspension in Week 8 for unsportsmanlike conduct toward a referee. Greenlaw called the season "real tough" and acknowledged that he often found himself longing for what he had in San Francisco alongside Fred Warner, his close friend and fellow linebacker.By the end of the regular season, Greenlaw had 43 tackles, a sack, an interception and a forced fumble while playing 38.6 snaps per game. The Broncos released him on March 12, and he agreed to a one-year, $7.5 million deal with the Niners the next day.There's never been a question of Greenlaw's impact -- including the postseason, the 49ers were 52-24 and allowed 20 points per game when he played -- but injuries have long been an issue. He missed 36 games in his first six seasons with the team because of various injuries. After tearing his Achilles during Super Bowl LVIII, Greenlaw only made two more appearances for San Francisco before departing for Denver.The 49ers have been accordingly cautious with Greenlaw in hopes of having him healthy to open the season."I haven't felt this good since about a month before the Super Bowl," Greenlaw said. "It's been just one [injury] after one after another, one after another. And I just been playing catch up the whole time. But now I just feel like I'm where I need to be now as far as just body, health wise, everything."Samuel's lone season in Washington was more fruitful than Greenlaw's in Denver. Samuel played in 16 games, leading the Commanders in catches (72), receiving yards (727) and receiving touchdowns (five). Of course, he made an impact on the ground with 17 carries, 75 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown. Despite the Commanders letting him walk, Samuel had nothing negative to say about his time in Washington but made it clear he was happy to be back with the 49ers.Over the past couple of seasons, questions about Samuel's conditioning have arisen as he's struggled to produce consistently. According to left tackle Trent Williams, one of Samuel's closest friends who was in contact with him weekly throughout his time in Washington, that could change this season. Samuel returned to the Niners in what Williams calls "probably the best shape I've seen him in since I've known him.""I know he's coming from a situation where he feels people doubt his ability," Williams said. "You put that extra doubt to him, that extra fuel to his fire, I think he's going to be a lot better."Throughout the preseason, those who have played with Samuel and Greenlaw before recognize many of the tone-setting traits they brought to San Francisco the first time. They also see a renewed chip on the shoulder, in no small part because of San Francisco's inability to win a Super Bowl, that should only further inflame the fuel Williams mentioned."The good thing about it, they got something to prove," safety Ji'Ayir Brown said. "Deebo has something to prove. Dre has something to prove. And not to nobody else, not to no outsiders, more to themselves."In this training camp, Samuel has lined up at running back again and got the ball in space in a variety of ways. He is also taking on the kick return role, which he only did sparingly in his first stint but featured in for the Commanders last season (30.1 average yards per return).Greenlaw has resumed his role as the enforcer, though age (29 years old) has brought the wisdom to know when to pump the brakes. At one practice, he hit star running back Christian McCaffrey near the sideline. McCaffrey took exception, threw the ball and shoved Greenlaw back. Greenlaw didn't retaliate, realizing what he'd done and who he had pushed.McCaffrey didn't mind and counts Greenlaw among his favorite players in the league. That's a sentiment shared by the entire team, which is looking forward to Samuel leading them out of the tunnel pregame and Greenlaw flying around the field unafraid to take on anyone who tries him or his teammates."To be able to bring back some enforcers like that who play exactly how we want everybody to play, those are two special dudes," coach Kyle Shanahan said. "I haven't been around two people like that in my career, really, who play that way. That stuff's huge. Just knowing they're in here gets guys pumped up. They've been away for a year, but to see them out there, they look exactly like the guys I remember."
