Dre Greenlaw likely out for final two games of the season

49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw has likely taken his final snap of the 2024 season.

Greenlaw left Sunday's loss to the Dolphins after playing four snaps and was ruled out with a calf injury. That came a week after Greenlaw made his 2024 debut against the Rams and failed to finish the game because of his knee and soreness associated with the torn Achilles tendon that he suffered in last season's Super Bowl.

After the Dolphins game, linebacker Fred Warner and defensive end Nick Bosa both talked about needing to protect Greenlaw from himself and head coach Kyle Shanahan said at his Monday press conference that the team was doing that in Miami. Shanahan also said he thinks that Greenlaw will sit out the final two games of the year.

"My gut is most likely that he'll end up being shut down," Shanahan said, via 49ersWebzone.com. "But that's, I've got to wait to talk to Dre on that and we'll still make sure to see exactly how he is doing, because right now we just have it as just soreness and stuff. But that'll definitely be a decision that I'll leave up to Dre depending on what his health is."

Greenlaw is set for free agency in March, so his desire to show he's back from the Achilles tear is understandable. The results of his first two weeks back on the field suggest that it also might not be the wisest course of action for a player who wants to continue his playing career.