Dre Greenlaw’s importance to the 49ers is evident this season.

The 49ers’ defense has struggled without the star linebacker, who has missed the first 10 games while he finishes rehabbing from a torn Achilles sustained during Super Bowl LVIII in February.

While Greenlaw is expected to return to the field before the end of the 2024 season, his status beyond that is uncertain as he will become an unrestricted free agent next spring.

The 49ers’ biggest offseason priority will be to re-sign quarterback Brock Purdy to a massive contract extension, but after that, the Faithful believe San Francisco needs to put Greenlaw at No. 2 on their to-do list.

In NBC Sports Bay Area’s latest Toyota Driving To The Red Zone poll question on Instagram, 64 percent of fans voted for Greenlaw as the top non-Purdy contract situation the 49ers must figure out.

Greenlaw, a 2019 fifth-round draft pick, is in the final season of a two-year, $16.4 million contract.

After playing in 32 games in his first three NFL seasons, Greenlaw broke out over the last two seasons, racking up a combined 247 total tackles while helping the 49ers reach the NFC Championship Game in 2022 and the Super Bowl last year.

The 49ers miss Greenlaw’s presence on defense, and if the Faithful have their way, the 27-year-old will be back next season.

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