Ok Let's distract ourselves from this misery for a moment.
Let's take a look at our controversy free linebackers
Linebackers
Fred Warner - 2018 3rd round pick. He made an immediate impact as rookie and has since grown into one of if the not the best linebacker in the NFL. He can tackle at an elite level, he is great in coverage in many cases smothering opposing tight ends or even WR trying to make plays on short routes. He has over 600 career tackles including 130 in 2022 with 2 sacks and in INT to boot. He already in the pantheon of great 49er linebackers like Julian Peterson, Patrick Willis and Navorro Bowman.
Performance: A+
Potential: A
Overall: A+
Dre Greenlaw - 2019 5th round Draft pick, He made the roster immediately and made some key plays in his rookie year. Every year he has gotten progressively better. Greenlaw has a knack for makeing plays behind the line of scrimmage forcing and recovering fumbles. He also has 2 TDs on recovered fumbles. Warner is the leader of the linebackers but Greenlaw is an enforcer in his own right and should be for years to come.
Performance: B+
Potential: B
Overall: B+
Oren Burks - Oren Burks joined the team in 2022 after spending 4 seasons with the Packers. Oren Burks was primarily a special teams player while playing a few snaps to spell the starters. Now he will likely be the replacement after the departure of Azeez Al Shaair. Burks does not have a lot of experience as a starter but he is an experienced linebacker. He is excellent in run support and is athletic enough to run downhill despite being 6'2 and 235lbs. I expect him to be a solid starter this season.
Performance: B-
Potential: C+
Overall: B-
Dee Winters - 2023 5th round draft pick from TCU. Winters is actually a former defensive back turned linebacker. He is quite fast running a 4.49 and it shows on tape. He takes great angles and males smooth tackes, he can also cover in space with most runningbacks, tight ends and even some receivers. He will probably be a special teams contributor to start and he can also play in nickel packages. He does need to imcrease his strength in the NFL as if a blocker engages with him he is essentially out of the play.
Performance: B-
Potential: B-
Overall: B-
Demetrius Flannigan-Knowles - 2019 UDFA. Knowles has contributed on special teams primarily, he is undersized for a linebacker but his 4.6 speed is quite fast and as a result makes him a very solid special teams player.
Performance: C+
Potential: C+
Overall: C+
Jalen Graham - 2023 7th Round draft pick. Graham is a converted safety. He was a pretty productive college player but his draft stock tanked after a posting pretty bad athletic numbers. His specialty is really as a coverage linebacker. He is a smart, savvy player but he is not much of a contributor against the run. He will most likely make the practice squad where he can continue to develop.
Performance: C-
Potential: C
Overall: C-
Marcelino McCrary-Ball - Young developmental linebacker. He will probably end up on the practice squad where he can develop and be an emergency reserve.
Performance: D
Potential: C-
Overall: D+
Curtis Robinson - UDFA whose athleticism does not quite show up on the field. I am not sure if he will survive the roster cuts as his ceiling is special teamer at best and just based on the talent level of the starters and even the 5th and 7th rounders added this year, I simply do not see a path for him to make the roster.
Performance: D
Potential: D
Overall: D
Kyahva Tezino - 2020 UDFA with the Patriots and signed out of the USFL. He could possibly be a practice squad player,
Performance: F
Potential: D
Overall: D-
Unit Analysis
We have probably the best collection of starting linebackers in the league and even guys like Demetrius Flanagan-Knowles could be starters on other teams. Dee Winters could also find himself snaps over the course of the season as well. The linebackers are about as good as the defensive line combining for one of the leagues elite front seven players with Fred Warner leading the charge.
Unit Grade: A