Shanahan appreciates Staley’s immediate impact in new 49ers role

ORLANDO, Fla. — New assistant head coach Brandon Staley has impacted the 49ers' 2024 plan in just one month. Coach Kyle Shanahan detailed Tuesday at the NFL Annual Meeting how valuable Staley has been since he arrived in the Bay earlier in March. "Brandon has a lot of knowledge being a coordinator in this league and also being a head coach the last few years," Shanahan said. "He knows a lot of the personnel, and he's been very involved in the draft stuff. It's always nice to have a guy with his expertise on board to help us out." Staley, who went 24-24 from 2021 to 2023 as the Los Angeles Chargers' head coach, gave valuable free-agency input that included insight on edge rusher Leonard Floyd, whom the 49ers signed to a two-year, $20 million contract. Staley coached Floyd in 2020 when he was the Los Angeles Rams' defensive coordinator. "It was real cool having Brandon on our staff," Shanahan said. "He got to coach [Floyd] in L.A., and just hearing the type of practice player he is, he goes all day, loves playing football, and I'm pumped to have him on our team." Staley's background made him a candidate for the 49ers' defensive coordinator vacancy, after Steve Wilks was fired, but...