The San Francisco 49ers lost defensive coordinator Robert Saleh this offseason as he took the head coach job with the Tennessee Titans. As a result, the Niners are in the middle of finding his replacement.
Saleh had to deal with major injuries to the 49ers’ defense, but he still made the unit a respectable one despite the circumstances. Nonetheless, head coach Kyle Shanahan will look for a candidate who can elevate the group to another level, especially if key pieces like Fred Warner and Nick Bosa are healthy.
On Jan. 29, NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco reported, citing a source, that the 49ers have interviewed Raheem Morris, Joe Woods, and Gus Bradley for their vacant defensive coordinator position.
Does Joe Woods Make Sense for the 49ers?
Meanwhile, 49ers reporter Grant Cohn for On SI shared his thoughts on the three candidates and said he doesn’t see Woods becoming the Niners’ defensive coordinator.
“Joe Woods was actually on the Niners staff in 2019 when they went to the Super Bowl,” Cohn said in a video posted on X on Jan. 29. “He was the defensive pass game coordinator and DB specialist under Robert Saleh. People thought he was really important. I thought he was really important. He got the defensive coordinator job with the Browns, failed.
“Then he got the defensive coordinator job with the Saints, failed. Then last year he was back as a pass game guy with the Raiders, which is the worst team in the league. I’m guessing he won’t be the guy. He might be on the staff at some point, but he probably won’t be the defensive coordinator.”
The Niners Should Hire Rahem Morris
Moreover, Cohn sees Morris as the guy San Francisco should hire among the three candidates they have interviewed, given his head-coaching experience and his role as the Los Angeles Rams‘ defensive coordinator when they won the Super Bowl.
“Then you got Raheem Morris, who’s legitimately an excellent defensive coordinator,” Cohn added. “No sarcasm whatsoever. He was the defensive coordinator for the Rams a few years ago when they won the Super Bowl, and he has head coaching experience. He would be pretty great, except he doesn’t run the wide nine, and the Niners would have to evolve. Oh my God, what a nightmare. Then there’s Gus Bradley, who hasn’t evolved at all in the last 15 years.
“Of course, the Niners brought him in so he could study Robert Saleh, who evolved all the time, and they’re really hoping that Gus Bradley won’t be the next Steve Wilks, who was brought in to run someone else’s scheme. If the choice comes down to Gus Bradley and Raheem Morris, it’s a no‑brainer. It’s got to be Morris.”
Nonetheless, Cohn notes that Shanahan could opt for Bradley because he’s willing to run the defensive scheme the 49ers head coach wants, rather than letting the coordinator have free rein with the defense.
“Kyle Shanahan is so strange,” Cohn added. “He’s scheme coach who is adamant about the defensive scheme the Niners have to run. Why do you even care? Run the offense. Let Raheem Morris run the defense. But no, it’s going to be Gus Bradley.”
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post 49ers Insider Delivers Big Update on Defensive Coordinator Search appeared first on Heavy Sports.