The time has finally come for the Denver Broncos to remove the bubble wrap around linebacker Dre Greenlaw. After signing a three-year, $31.5 million contract, the former San Francisco 49ers standout has yet to make his Broncos debut, due to a quad injury.

The Denver Broncos' already stacked defense is receiving a big boost as linebacker Dre Greenlaw is returning from injury.

Denver signed Greenlaw to a three-year, $31.5 million contract this spring. The 28-year-old linebacker totaled 455 tackles, 14 pass breakups, 3.5 sacks, three interceptions, two forced fumbles and two defensive touchdowns in six years (64 games) with the San Francisco 49ers before joining the Broncos this offseason.

This was about money, sure. More so, this was about a locker room. And a chance to be Batman, not Robin to Fred Warner. And most of all, about being valued — the concept that Dre Greenlaw

Dre Greenlaw may be nearing his Denver Broncos debut, but the impending decision has come at the expense of another player.

Which leads to another sign pointing towards Greenlaw playing Sunday: The Broncos cleared a spot on their 53-man roster Friday by releasing veteran No. 3 quarterback Sam Ehlinger. The intent is to sign Ehlinger back to the Broncos’ practice squad and perhaps fill his roster spot with Greenlaw.

As he nears return from a recurring quad injury, the Denver Broncos are still waiting for Dre Greenlaw to take the field. The franchise is hoping the three-year, $31.5 million deal they gave to Greenlaw in the offseason will help transform what is already a potent Denver defense into arguably the best in the NFL.

The Broncos hoped they could keep the talented linebacker healthy, but Greenlaw's luck with the injury bug hasn't changed yet. The Broncos kept him on the 53-man roster to open the regular season, but in the face of minimal progress with that quad, the team ultimately opted to take the pressure off of him and place him on IR ahead of Week 3.