“We’re very interested in having Dre back… You know how highly we think of Dre, and we’d love to have that,” said 49ers GM John Lynch at this year’s Scouting Combine. Sadly, despite their interest, the team let Dre Greenlaw hit free agency. San Francisco was hoping to let their former LB test the market and still re-sign him. The Niners‘ brass believed that Greenlaw’s injury history would surely affect his market value. But surprise, surprise -the Broncos offered Dre a higher-paying contract than the Niners, and the rest is history. HC Kyle Shanahan and GM John Lynch even flew to Dre’s home in Texas, trying to convince him to reject the Broncos and re-sign with them. But Dre simply turned them down.

Something similar happened with safety Talanoa Hufanga, too. Once again, the team was hoping they might bring him back on a low contract, assuming other teams wouldn’t show much interest due to his injury history. But the Broncos were interested enough to sign him as soon as they could. Now, it turns out the Niners didn’t just lose their players, they may have lost a little respect, too. And San Francisco’s QB, Brock Purdy, just got caught in the middle of the crossfire.

After signing with the Broncos, Talanoa Hufanga appeared on the DNVR Sports podcast. In conversation with Bennie Fowler, the safety talked about his transition to the Broncos alongside teammate Dre Greenlaw. And expressed his optimism about the Broncos’ potential with QB Bo Nix.

He explained how he and Dre had a conversation about Nix before joining Denver. Not only were they full of praise for the rookie quarterback, but Hufanga also threw some subtle shade at their former QB, Brock Purdy. “Man, when you’ve got a quarterback that can go out there and really play, as a defense, you know it’s not just three and out. There are a lot of teams like that in the NFL,” he said. 

Well, in a way, Hufanga’s statement expresses his lack of confidence in QB Brock Purdy, who had a struggling season. But it wasn’t just about throwing shade at Purdy. Hufanga also made it clear why he and Greenlaw chose Denver in the first place. And it was because of Nix. The rookie QB has already earned the trust of his new teammates. And the ex-Niner didn’t hold back when it came to expressing his excitement about the Broncos’ future with Nix under center.

Ex-Niner hypes up Bo Nix for Broncos’ future

Until John Elway and the Broncos drafted Bo Nix last year, Elway had always regretted his decision not to draft Josh Allen in the 2018 draft. With Nix’s arrival, the Broncos could finally put that regret to rest. Racking up 3,775 yards and 29 touchdowns in his rookie season, Bo is definitely the QB Denver has been waiting for.

Now, Greenlaw and Hufanga also have high hopes for the young QB. “We were like, ‘Man, when you got a quarterback that can go out there and really play, as a defense… We got potential here.’ Why can’t we come over here and help change? He’s the reason,” Talanoa shared with Bennie Fowler.

Calling Nix a “game changer,” the 25-year-old shared that he had been following the Broncos QB since his college days at Oregon. He explained how people around the league were doubtful about Nix’s rookie season, but Bo delivered, silencing the doubters. The QB’s 29 touchdowns were the second-most ever in NFL history for a rookie. “The dude hustles. Excited to work with him and excited to hopefully go the distance, for sure,” added Hufanga.

Bo Nix’s arrival in Denver has already sparked hope, as both Dre Greenlaw and Talanoa Hufanga back the QB as the game-changer the team desperately needed. With a rookie season that shut down critics, can he elevate the Broncos beyond their history of mediocrity? If his new teammates are right, Denver might finally have found their missing piece.