Prior to their MNF Christmas match, Warner and the 49ers praised the Ravens’ linebackers. This story first ran on NBC Sports Bay Area.
SANTA CLARA: The two teams that square off at Levi’s Stadium on Monday night may be able to lay claim to the NFL’s top linebacker tandems.
Of course, Dre Greenlaw and Fred Warner of the 49ers are on one side. And the Baltimore Ravens have two outstanding players of their own: Patrick Queen and Roquan Smith.
“We constantly monitor the performance of other linebackers in the league,” stated Warner, who was selected to the Pro Bowl and All-Pro thrice. “I’m really respectful of Patrick and Roquan.
“They are playing the game precisely as it should be played.
Smith was traded by the Chicago Bears to the Ravens during the 2017 season. On his résumé, he had one Pro Bowl and one All-Pro selection. Over his four seasons with the team, Queen has averaged well over 100 tackles.
When head coach Kyle Shanahan started digging deep to get ready for the Ravens, he noted that Smith and Queen were the first players he noticed. They remind him of Warner and Greenlaw, he remarked.
“I think those two guys stand out the most and are the most like our guys that I’ve seen in a few years and this year,” Shanahan remarked. “Those two men, in my opinion, are what keep the defence going. They’re large.
