The San Francisco 49ers will need a new defensive coordinator for the fifth straight season after Robert Saleh took a head coaching job with the Tennessee Titans earlier this week.
Looking back, the 49ers had DeMeco Ryans as their coordinator in 2022 before he left for a head coaching job with the Houston Texans. They went with Steve Wilks after that, who was fired after the 49ers’ Super Bowl run in 2023 and was replaced with internal candidate Nick Sorensen. The 49ers also moved off him after one season, hiring Robert Saleh after he was let go by the New York Jets.
Now, they’re back to the drawing board at defensive coordinator, so who could be some candidates for the opening? Let’s look at five candidates to replace Saleh.
49ers assistant head coach Gus Bradley
Bradley’s probably the clear favorite for the job. The 49ers hired him last year as the assistant head coach of the defense under Saleh, and it felt like they were having a successor plan in place, knowing the head coaching interest Saleh would get.
Now, even though they’re having their fifth defensive coordinator in five years, they could have some continuity on defense. Of the internal candidates, he’s the top guy for the job.
Former Falcons head coach Raheem Morris
Morris was recently let go as the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons, but he’s been a top defensive coordinator in the NFL and has strong ties to Kyle Shanahan. They coached together in 2004-05 with the Buccaneers, 2012-13 with the Redskins, and 2015-16 with the Falcons.
Morris probably isn’t a head coaching candidate for at least another year or two, so there could be some stability there while adding a top defensive coach to the staff. If they can keep Bradley and have Morris, that’s a strong defensive staff along with the rest of San Francisco’s current group.
Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham
Graham has been linked to the job before and has also garnered a number of head coaching interviews over the past few years. He’s been a mainstay on Las Vegas’s staff through previous head coaching changes, but they’re hiring another head coach this offseason, which could allow him to depart.
While the Raiders’ defenses haven’t been great the last few years, Graham has been one of the bright spots on the coaching staff, is well-respected in the NFL, and hasn’t had much talent to work with outside of Maxx Crosby in Las Vegas.
Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver
On a similar page, Weaver could be an external candidate for the job. He’s gotten a few head coaching interviews this cycle and could be an option for the Pittsburgh Steelers, having interviewed there already.
Miami’s defense has also been depleted over the last few years, but Weaver has done a good job and is likely to get a defensive coordinator or head coaching job this cycle if he doesn’t stay with Miami as they search for a new head coach.
Seahawks defensive coordinator Aden Durde
If you’re going external, it would be smart to target coaching from some of the best defensive coaching trees in the NFL. That list probably starts with Mike Macdonald, who has done a phenomenal job over the last few years with the Baltimore Ravens and the Seattle Seahawks.
His current defensive coordinator is Aden Durde, and he’ll probably be a hot commodity in the near future if the Seahawks give him permission to interview elsewhere. Since it would be a lateral move and Durde is under contract, there will need to be permission, and I’m not sure the Seahawks will give that for the 49ers.
But Durde is a young, rising defensive coordinator who has been a big part of a strong Seattle defense and is worth giving a call for.
Honorable mention: Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz
This one comes with caveats, as reports are sharing that the Browns would like to keep Schwartz, either as their full-time head coach or as the defensive coordinator if they go elsewhere at head coach. But in the off chance he becomes available, he could be a worthy candidate for the job as well.
Schwartz has been a longtime defensive coordinator and operator of the ‘Wide 9’ scheme, providing familiarity for the 49ers schematically. He’s a great playcaller and would be an experienced hire for the role.
