Five 49ers defensive coordinator candidates after Robert Saleh's departure

Kyle Shanahan had to wait to hire Robert Saleh a year ago because he still was in the mix for a couple of head-coaching opportunities.Only after those jobs went to other individuals did Saleh officially join the 49ers to return to his old role of defensive coordinator.Shanahan figured Saleh might not be a long-term answer. If it were for just one season, that would be fine, too. The 49ers knew they would have a lot of young players on defense and Saleh could make a sizable impact in a year’s time.Indeed, Saleh played a major role in the development of the young defense, and the 49ers advanced to the second round of the NFC playoffs.The 49ers got what they wanted from Saleh, and Saleh benefited from his one year with the 49ers, too.Just two days after the conclusion of the 49ers’ season, Shanahan finds himself in a familiar position. He is looking for a new defensive coordinator.Saleh traveled to Nashville, where he met with the Tennessee Titans’ search committee on Monday. It was quickly determined that Saleh was their guy. Saleh will be named as the Titans’ head coach.So, Shanahan will be hiring a fifth defensive coordinator in five years.And here are the most-logical candidates for the position:Gus BradleyThe 49ers appeared to set up their succession plan a year ago when Gus Bradley was brought onto the 49ers’ staff as assistant head coach/defense.Bradley, 59, was among Shanahan’s top choices to serve as his defensive coordinator in 2017. When he could not land Bradley, he ended up turning the defense over to Saleh.Bradley first became an NFL defensive coordinator in 2009 with Seattle. From there, he served as Jacksonville’s head coach (2013-16), and defensive coordinator with the Chargers (2017-2020), Raiders (2021) and Indianapolis (2022-24).Bradley had a hands-on role with the 49ers this season, and regularly spoke to the entire team the night before games.Raheem MorrisAfter serving as defensive coordinator in Atlanta and with the Los Angeles Rams, Raheem Morris became head coach of the Falcons in 2024. He lasted two seasons.His ties with Shanahan go back a long time. They had roles on Mike Shanahan’s staff in Washington for two seasons, then spent a lot of time together in Atlanta. Morris worked with Shanahan on the offensive side of the ball for two years.“Raheem is one of the best coaches I’ve been with,” Shanahan said earlier this season before the 49ers-Falcons game in Week 7.Morris also is considered a front-runner for the Green Bay defensive coordinator position, which opened when Jeff Hafley was hired as Miami Dolphins head coach.Jim SchwartzShanahan spoke highly of Jim Schwartz when the 49ers were going up against the Cleveland Browns this season.“Jim’s as good of a coordinator as there is,” Shanahan said. “And when you’re as good of a coordinator as there is, and you have the talent that they have, it’s a pretty lethal combination.”Schwartz has taken part in two interviews for the Browns’ head-coaching vacancy, so keep an eye on that one. If the Browns pass over Schwartz for the top position, it would seem unlikely he would return as a member of that staff.Schwartz’s résumé consists of eight seasons as Titans defensive coordinator, followed by five years as Detroit Lions head coach, and coordinator positions with Buffalo, Philadelphia and the Browns for the past three seasons.Daniel BullocksDaniel Bullocks has served nine seasons on Shanahan’s staff, including the past two years as defensive passing game specialist/defensive backs coach.He interviewed for the 49ers’ defensive coordinator position in 2024, so he would have to be considered an option for the opening.KJ WrightIt makes sense that the 49ers would give strong consideration to a respected member of the coaching staff who had an 11-year career at linebacker.Linebackers generally make good defensive coordinators. They link to the defensive line and must be heavily involved in the run game, while also communicating with the defensive backfield with the coverages in the passing game.Wright appears to have a promising coaching career ahead of him. The only question is whether he needs a few more years of experience in order to take on the role of defensive coordinator.Download and follow the 49ers Talk Podcast

Five 49ers defensive coordinator candidates after Robert Saleh’s departure

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