Surprise candidate emerges in 49ers’ search for next defensive coordinator

New 49ers defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen may not have all the answers yet in regards to how his defense will perform in the upcoming season, but it sounds like his approach will remain largely similar to what the team has done in the past under head coach Kyle Shanahan. Sorensen held his first media session as 49ers defensive coordinator before the team's rookie minicamp on Friday and provided a glimpse on how he wants his defense to look once they take the field in September. The plan is to show the NFL that the 49ers haven't changed much in terms of intensity and flying to the ball. "I want them to see we're still the standard of what we've always been -- an attacking defense that plays fast," Sorensen said. "We play violent. We play with speed, and we

San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen spoke to reporters during the team's rookie minicamp. Here is everything he had to say. Transcript provided by the San Francisco 49ers Communications staff. Opening comments: "Good to see you guys. I'm excited. Go ahead, you can ask questions. We just got out of walk-through with our rookies. It's pretty cool to have those guys here." When an offense takes a look at your defense, early in the season, what do you want them to see? What is going to be the identity of your defense? "I want them to see that we're still the standard of what we've always been, an attacking defense that plays fast. We play violent, we play with speed

Mike Sando of The Athletic frequently taps into the insights of NFL executives across the league to gather intel and opinions on NFL developments, the latest being the 2024 NFL Draft. In his recent discussions with NFL executives about the San Francisco 49ers, the spotlight was on the wide receiver position. One unnamed NFL executive praised the 49ers' choice of wide receiver Ricky Pearsall with the No. 31 overall pick. "We loved that receiver," the executive told Sando. "The first round is probably a little high for him, but if they want the fifth-year option with him, fine." That's an interesting perspective that has yet to receive much attention regarding Pearsall's selection. First-round picks come with a team option for a fifth year, which

The San Francisco 49ers announced that they have waived defensive lineman Spencer Waege. Waege (6-5, 295) initially joined the team as an undrafted free agent on May 2, 2023. He was waived by the team on August 27, 2023. However, he re-signed with the team's practice squad on November 15, 2023, where he remained for the remainder of the season. A 25-year-old native of South Shore, South Dakota, Waege attended North Dakota State University for six years (2017-22), appearing in 57 games with 29 starts. He registered 138 tackles, 42 tackles for a loss, 20.5 sacks, five forced fumbles, four passes defensed, and one fumble recovery during his collegiate career. He finished his college tenure as a two-time FCS All-American