Making ready to rent a fourth defensive coordinator in 4 years, the 49ers have a well-recognized title on the radar. As may very well be anticipated based mostly on his success in San Francisco (and the Jets’ freefall after his early-season firing), Robert Saleh is a reputation to watch on this search.
Although the Jaguars are set to meet with Saleh on Jan. 14 to discuss their head coaching position, veteran NFL insider Josina Anderson reports that the previous 49ers DC can count on to obtain a suggestion to return to that job quickly.
Saleh was the 49ers’ DC from 2017-20 and spent the previous three-plus seasons heading up the Jets’ protection — one which climbed into the highest 5 within the NFL in 2022 and ’23. The Jets dismissed him from his publish after 5 video games. After beginning 2-3, Gang Inexperienced completed the season 5-12. Whereas the 49ers tried to land Jeff Ulbrich for his or her DC publish final yr, his current boss seems to be the precedence for the NFC West franchise.
The 49ers are usually not bringing Nick Sorensen again as DC, however they’re additionally not sure to be eradicating their 2024 defensive play-caller from their workers. A particular groups coordinator place has opened up, and Sorensen has expertise in that space. As for the higher-profile job, the staff has been related to Saleh, Ulbrich and Gus Bradley in the early stages of this search. The 49ers should interview one exterior minority candidate to fulfill the Rooney Rule; a Saleh assembly would qualify.
Cementing himself as a head teaching candidate in the course of the 2021 cycle, Saleh didn’t fare properly because the Jets’ HC. The staff’s Zach Wilson funding had a lot to do with that, and the Jets shortly launched a turnaround on protection. After rating final in Saleh’s 2021 debut season, the Jets rocketed to fourth in factors and yards allowed in 2022. In 2023, New York’s protection completed third in yardage allowed and twelfth in factors. To be honest to Ulbrich, the unit once more ranked third in complete protection this season; it ranked twentieth in scoring.
Saleh, 45, was on the controls when the 49ers accomplished a exceptional ascent in 2019. After a 4-12 2018 season that netted the staff Nick Bosa at No. 2 total, San Francisco earned the NFC’s No. 1 seed and stampeded by way of the NFC playoffs earlier than a Tremendous Bowl LIV loss to the Chiefs. Saleh’s unit ranked fourth in scoring protection that yr. Regardless of the 49ers dropping Bosa early throughout an injury-plagued 2020 season — one which reminded of the staff’s 2024 slate — Saleh’s troops remained a top-five complete protection.
Will probably be attention-grabbing to see how briskly the 49ers transfer on this, with Saleh presumably keen on listening to the Jaguars out a few return to a prime job. Jacksonville is the only team thus far to request an HC interview with the not too long ago fired Jets coach/present Packers guide, so it’s potential San Francisco won’t want to attend too lengthy for a solution.
