The Denver Broncos placed linebacker Dre Greenlaw on short-term injured reserve Saturday, the team announced, sidelining him for at least four games due to a thigh injury.
Greenlaw, 28, will be eligible to return Week 7 against the New York Giants. He has yet to play this season after the injury kept him out of the offseason program and preseason.
Head coach Sean Payton said Greenlaw sustained another issue with the same thigh during training camp, calling it a “different” injury. The club had hoped to ramp him up in practice and target a Week 4 return against the Bengals, but that timeline is off the table with the IR move.
The Broncos elevated linebacker Garret Wallow from the practice squad for Sunday’s game.
Greenlaw signed a three-year, $31.5 million contract in March, the second-largest deal Denver gave an external free agent this offseason. He appeared in two games in 2024 after tearing his Achilles in Super Bowl LVIII.
In 64 games (56 starts) over six seasons with the San Francisco 49ers, Greenlaw had 3.5 sacks, 455 tackles (including 18 for loss), three interceptions (including one for a touchdown), two forced fumbles, 14 passes defended and nine quarterback hits. He was a fifth-round pick by San Francisco in 2019.
Denver’s roster moves at linebacker come as the team looks for stability in the middle of its defense. With Greenlaw out, Alex Singleton, Justin Strnad and Karene Reid project to handle the bulk of the snaps, while Wallow provides depth and special-teams help.
