The Denver Broncos' Week 4 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers will be a reunion of sorts for many players on both sides. Offensive lineman Mike McGlinchey, safety Talanoa Hufanga and defensive lineman D.J. Jones will be making their regular-season return to the Bay, while they are also set to see a familiar face.
Sunday will mark the first time the Broncos will see linebacker Dre Greenlaw since his release in March of this year, and his subsequent re-signing with the 49ers. Wide receiver Courtland Sutton is looking forward to seeing his former teammate, even though he was in Mile High for only one season.
"It’ll be fun going against Dre," Sutton said on Wednesday. "Dre was one person over from me when he was here in the locker room. That
dude loves football. I’m happy that he is healthy and is able to go out there and play."
Greenlaw missed eight games due to injury last season and another game due to suspension after chasing down a referee after Denver's miraculous 33-32 win over the New York Giants last fall. When he and fellow linebacker Fred Warner are on the field together, they form one of the best duos in the league.
"Watching him and Fred in the middle of that field, that is a really good duo they have in the middle of the field," Sutton said. "When you have two [linebackers] like that, it allows the rest of the defense to play fast. Those guys play fast and play physical. They know where they are supposed to be at. They know how to get there and it will be on us to make sure when we find the holes to maximize them. Then protecting the ball and being able to maximize those opportunities. It’ll be fun to get a chance to see him and go against him because he is a hell of a football player.”
Quarterback Bo Nix also spoke about the impact of Warner and Greenlaw in the middle of the field.
"They’ve played in tandem for a while," Nix said of Greenlaw and Warner. "They’re really good. They’re a really good duo. They play with really good vision, really good in space. They fit their defense really well, and they have for years. They’ve been there for a really long time playing at a high level."
After getting to know him for a year in the Broncos locker room, Nix sees Greenlaw as a great football player. He knows this game will be difficult with both linebackers playing at a very high level through three games.
"(Greenlaw is) a really good player, a really good guy," Nix said. "I know he’s going to be really excited about this game, and Fred has just been one of the best linebackers in the league forever. It’s going to be a tough task for us. We’re going to have to block them up and get hats on hats and just hopefully not let them wreck the game.”
While it may be a memorable off-field reunion, the on-field action will surely be heated. Let's hope the Broncos are up to the test against the NFC West-leading Niners.
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This article originally appeared on Broncos Wire: Broncos say ‘it’ll be fun’ to face Dre Greenlaw on Sunday
