Something about the way the 49ers move in April always screams chaos disguised as confidence. One minute, it’s all smiles and strategy. The next? They’re staring at a broken linebacker room, a bruised reputation, and a draft board that might tempt them to blow a first-round pick on something shiny instead of something necessary. Add a splash of post-Kittle paranoia and a hot TE prospect that’s got everyone drooling, and what do you get? A warning shot from an ex-NFL-er that sounds more like a siren. And it’s ringing loud from the shadows of Michigan.
Let’s talk about 1839 yard-man, Tyler Warren. Yeah, the Penn State freight train who straight up trucked DBs like they were parking cones in the Big Ten. 1,233 receiving yards, eight tutties, 218 rushing yards, and four more on the ground. The TE even had 17 catches for 224 yards in one game. Insane numbers. And now, the whispers say the 49ers are eyeing him at No. 11 in the NFL Draft. Sounds fun, right? Except this move smells more like a TikTok trend than a championship strategy.
Enter Jake Butt, former NFL and Michigan tight end, who hopped on Guy Huberman’s pod and poured ice water on the Tyler Warren hype. “I see them as different prospects too, though, to be honest with you. You know, you just—just look at them physically. Tyler Warren is a—he carries more weight, and he carries it more natural. Like, when you watch Tyler Warren, especially after the catch is where this really shows up—he gets a lot of inertia. He’s like a semi-truck,” Butt said, describing Warren’s downhill, bruising playstyle after the catch. “Penn State would dump it down to him in the flat, and he’d get going down the sidelines and he could run people over.” Then Butt added the real kicker: “He could also hurdle guys. He’s just a phenomenal athlete.”
But as much praise as Butt gave Warren, he wasn’t ready to anoint him the answer for the 49ers. “Colston Loveland’s a better route runner,” Butt continued. “He’s more of an option route guy… I look at him almost like a Cooper Kupp of the tight ends.” Translation? If the Niners want a luxury piece, Warren might be your guy. But if they’re trying to actually fix things, they might be shopping in the wrong aisle. Because let’s be real—the 49ers’ offense isn’t exactly starving at tight end. George Kittle still breathes fire on Sundays, and even though Father Time’s tapping on his shoulder, he ain’t done yet. So using a top-15 pick on another TE? That smells more like a midlife crisis move than a team building for a Super Bowl run.
Jake wasn’t just nitpicking. He made it clear—Warren’s a freak, sure. Wildcat threat. Multi-sport baller. But that ain’t enough to spend your highest draft pick in years when you’re bleeding defenders and praying Brock Purdy doesn’t snap in half. The 49ers already got George Kittle, and while he’s closer to 30 than 20, this ain’t a Madden rebuild. You don’t draft a TE2 at No. 11 like you’re hoarding Pokémon.
If they do grab Warren, what’s that say to Kittle? Thanks for the memories, now hold this clipboard? Kittle’s still a dawg. And yeah, Shanahan’s offense would be fire with two tight ends slicing defenses like sushi. But this draft pick would be way more about tomorrow than today—and that’s dangerous when your locker room is still shell-shocked from Dre Greenlaw’s goodbye.
Look, Tyler Warren doesn’t feel like the patch job they need. Because here’s the deeper issue—the 49ers aren’t just shopping for future talent. They’re trying to stop the bleeding. The exodus has been biblical. Defensive tackle Arik Armstead? Gone. Safety Tashaun Gipson? Peace. Charvarius Ward, Talanoa Hufanga, Aaron Banks? Free agents. And now, Dre Greenlaw just dipped for a three-year bag in Denver. That man was the heartbeat of the defense(second to Fred Warner). The moment he tore his Achilles in the Super Bowl? That’s the moment Patrick Mahomes knew he could dance. Which brings us back to the draft. If Shanahan and Lynch go all-in on Warren, they’re telling the world they’re cool with patching a tire while the engine’s on fire.
49ers look to fix the DRE Greenlaw mess with the NFL draft?
Now here’s the real gut punch. Dre Greenlaw wasn’t supposed to leave. Even after his injury-shortened 2024 season (just 34 snaps), he was the one they hoped to keep. Shanahan and Lynch flew to Texas like two guys trying to win back their ex on Valentine’s Day. It didn’t work. The man got his flowers from Denver—$31.5 million over three years—and bounced.
“Other teams were aggressive,” Lynch admitted. “We were forced to be somewhat reactive.” That’s exec-speak for ‘we lowballed him and got played.’ And now? That linebacker spot is a gaping hole with a question mark sticker slapped on it. Enter Dee Winters. He’s fast. He’s fiery. And when healthy, he’s shown flashes. But let’s not pretend like he’s Greenlaw 2.0. Last season he gave ‘em 39 tackles and four pass breakups in 15 games. Not bad. But not that guy. He missed time with ankle, neck, chest, and concussion issues. Dude’s got a medical chart longer than a CVS receipt.
So what now? Draft time. Problem is, the 2025 linebacker class ain’t stacked. Jihaad Campbell (Bama) is the headliner, but he might be gone before the Niners circle back in Round 2. Jalon Walker (UGA)? Hybrid potential, but raw. Then you’ve got UCLA’s Carson Schwesinger, Oregon’s Jeffrey Bassa, South Carolina’s Demetrius Knight Jr., and Ole Miss’s Chris Paul Jr. None scream “instant starter.” The Niners have 11 picks. They have to hit on a linebacker somewhere. But even if they find a gem, no rookie’s walking in and replacing what Greenlaw meant to this locker room. When Greenlaw played, the Niners were 44-20. Without him? 16-20. Those numbers don’t lie.
The irony? If the Niners burn that No. 11 pick on Tyler Warren, they might actually be telling Fred Warner to start getting used to a new sidekick. But it won’t be another junkyard dog like Greenlaw. It’ll be a hybrid WR-TE running Wildcat packages. Flashy, sure. Functional? We’ll see. Shanahan and Lynch are trying to cook with a half-stocked pantry, and they’re flirting with putting sprinkles on a steak. They’ve got Brock Purdy’s extension looming. The defense is losing its soul. And now they might draft a luxury weapon while the roof’s caving in?
All due respect to Warren—man’s a beast. But the 49ers need a brick wall, not a gold-plated mirror. One wrong move, and 2025’s gonna feel a lot like 2020 all over again—injuries, chaos, and a whole lotta “what ifs.” Be careful, Kyle. That No. 11 pick ain’t just a draft selection. It’s a statement. And right now, the wrong statement could echo through Levi’s for years to come.
The post Ex-NFLer Warns 49ers Against 1839-YD TE Fix as Dre Greenlaw Exit Adds to Kyle Shanahan’s Mass Exodus Crisis appeared first on EssentiallySports.
