SANTA CLARA — As much as the 49ers’ Christmas game against the Baltimore Ravens is being looked at as a referendum on this year’s Most Valuable Player, Brock Purdy, Christian McCaffrey and Lamar Jackson have other concerns Monday night.
Purdy and McCaffrey will be on the lookout for Ravens’ linebackers Roquan Smith and Patrick Queen.
Smith and Queen would be the consensus pick as the best duo in the NFL were it not for the 49ers’ pairing Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw.
Warner and Greenlaw will have all the attention of Jackson, whose skills as a runner and passer put defenses in a constant state of stress.
“I think those are the two guys who jump off the tape and I think they’re the most comparable to our guys that I’ve seen this year and in a couple years,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said. “To me, those two guys make the defense go.”
Shanahan was talking about Smith and Queen, but it could have just as easily have been Warner and Greenlaw.
When the top seeds in each conference square off at Levi’s Stadium, it’s no coincidence both the 49ers (11-3) and Ravens (11-3) are in the forefront of having linebackers that can keep up with the offenses of the current era.
All four weigh in at less than 240 pounds and rarely come off the field because each can cover ground like defensive back and be as good in pass coverage as they are against the run. The days of the lumbering 250-pound plus middle linebacker have gradually given way to players who can deal with spread offenses.
In NFL parlance with a 4-3 defense, the middle linebacker is the “Mike” the strongside is “Sam” and the weakside is “Will.” But the way teams play defense now, it’s often just two linebackers on the field and the old-school labels don’t apply.
“That’s really where the game is now,” 49ers defensive coordinator Steve Wilks said. “You play so so much out in space and teams try to spread you out and give you different. That’s why the old-school Mike’ linebacker is not the case anymore. You look for three ‘Wills’ who can play Mike’ and `Sam.’ ”
Smith and Warner came out of the 2018 draft, with the Chicago Bears taking Smith out of Georgia at No. 7 overall in the first round. The 49ers took Warner in the third round (No. 70) after he’d been a hybrid safety/linebacker at Brigham Young. Warner became the NFL’s highest paid linebacker with an average salary of $19.045 million in 2021, with Smith surpassing him on a deal that averages $20 million after being traded from the Bears to the Ravens.
Greenlaw, a fifth-round pick out of Arkansas in 2019, recognized knew of Smith with both playing in the Southeastern Conference, and the two became friendly by the time he went to the 49ers.
“The way he played, people would say, `You’re kind of like Roquan a little bit,” Greenlaw said Friday. “We’ve had some interactions and we know each other pretty well but we don’t talk on a regular basis.”
Queen was a first-round pick out of LSU in 2020, No. 28 overall and is having his best season in a free agent year. Having already paid huge for Smith and Jackson, Baltimore declined Queen’s fifth-year option, which usually signals a big money contract extension.
The 49ers wisely locked up Greenlaw to a two-year extension worth $16.4 million before last season and he’ll under contract through 2025.
Chris Foerster, who coaches the 49ers’ offensive line, said it’s unusual for any team to have two linebackers of such high quality.
“Most teams have one, and the other guy is up and coming,” Foerster said. “This team has two and it’s a challenge.”
Warner leads the 49ers with 116 tackles and appears destined for another All-Pro season with four interception, 2 1/2 sacks and four forced fumbles. Greenlaw, who missed one game due to injury, is second with 98 tackles.
For Baltimore, Smith leads in tackles with 142 with Queen second at 112.
“Even watching them before this week, they stand out on tape,” McCaffrey said. “They play fast, they play physical. They understand passing lanes. They’re very well-rounded.”
Shanahan said having athletic and versatile impacts an entire defense.
“That’s what allows them to be so good in zone, just how good those guys are on the inside,” Shanahan said. “The amount of field they can take between the numbers takes pressure off their corners, who can stay on top and take away explosive plays.”
Warner, who shared first-team All-Pro honors with Smith last season, realizes what the 49er are up against.
“I’ve got a ton of respect for Roquan and Patrick,” Warner said. “The way they play the game is exactly how it’s supposed to be played.”
Purdy is hoping training camp reps going against Warner and Greenlaw will pay off when Smith and Queen are on the field Monday night.
“Dating back to camp we got some really good looks against them, their drops, how aggressive they are in the run game. All of it,” Purdy said. “For us, we understand what it looks like when linebackers fly around and play smart.”
As good as the linebackers are individually, Greenlaw believes both he and Warner as well as Smith and Queen are better for being paired with their running mate.
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“Any time you’ve got a `Mike’ linebacker that knows the defense and is an Alpha male that can bark the calls out and they know the way you play, then you get a feel for each other,” Greenlaw said. “You’re able to learn off each other.”
Greenlaw said the job description of being a linebacker has changed over time.
“You’ve got to be able to run, you’ve got to be able to hit, you’ve got to be able to play in open space,” Greenlaw said. “That’s where the game is nowadays.”
And exactly where the game will be on Christmas night.
