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Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton gave linebacker Dre Greenlaw a heavyweight comparison as training kicked into full gear over the last week.
Greenlaw signed a three-year deal with the Broncos in the offseason after six years with the San Francisco 49ers. He played two games for the 49ers last season as he recovered from a torn Achilles suffered in Super Bowl LVIII.
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Denver Broncos linebacker Dre Greenlaw, #57, warms up at an NFL football training practice on Monday, July 28, 2025 in Centennial, Colorado. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
The veteran defensive player has already made an impression on Payton.
“He plays like Mike Tyson,” Payton told reporters on Monday. ” He’s tough. He’s physical. He’s built that way. There’s not a lot of leaky yardage. He’s a knockback tackler. They stop where he hits them. There’s an intensity to how he plays. He’s one of those players where if you put the film on and didn’t say anything, at some point early you would ask, ‘Who is this guy?’”
Payton added that he thinks Greenlaw’s physicality was “one of his greatest strengths.”
“He plays the position in such a way where you can’t help but notice it on film. His pad level, his strength, his lower body strength. It’s impressive. I’m glad we have him,” he added.
Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton looks on as players take part in drills at an NFL football training practice on Monday, July 28, 2025 in Centennial, Colorado. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
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Denver finished 10-7 last season and had a top 10 defense. The team was third in points allowed and seventh in yards allowed. It helped to have Defensive Player of the Year cornerback Patrick Surtain II in the secondary.
Greenlaw is projected to get the start at inside linebacker to start the season. He will be in a linebacking corps that includes Jonathon Cooper, Alex Singleton and Nik Bonitto.
San Francisco 49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw, #57, celebrates his interception during the third quarter at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, on Jan. 20, 2024. (Mark Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports)
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The Broncos begin the season on Sept. 7 at home against the Tennessee Titans.
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