After firing Steve Wilks, who led the 49ers to the third-best defense in the league this past season, the team now needs to hire a
defensive coordinator.
Recall that the 49ers hired Wilks over the offseason, refused to allow him to bring his coaching staff or plan with him, and then
blamed him for the team’s failure in overtime during the Super Bowl. Finding a coach willing to take his place could be challenging,
since that coach could easily end up being the next victim of criticism if the 49ers fail to win the Super Bowl the following year.
According to Ian Rapoport on The NFL Network, “even midseason, it didn’t really feel like a great fit for Steve Wilks and for Kyle
Shanahan.” “Do you recall when they made him come out to the field when he was in the booth? That was most likely the first
indication that something was wrong. Defensive coordinators spend a lot of time setting up players for success, so it was concerning to
see some of the team’s best players, including Nick Bosa, expressing dissatisfaction. Wilks and Kyle Shanahan just didn’t seem to be in
agreement, and when he requested a timeout in the Super Bowl fourth quarter because he didn’t like the play call, that
“There are several well-known names available for where they go from here. Undoubtedly, Brandon Staley is one. I would think that he
would be given some thought. I know Chris Harris, a really talented secondary coach, was very close to winning the position last year
when Steve Wilks took it. The 49ers will take into consideration Nick Sorensen as one of their internal prospects. I don’t get the
impression that this will be a quick fix. Since they are the only candidates for the position of defensive coordinator, they have some
time. When it comes to hiring their defensive coordinator, they will search everywhere.”
They will also promote from within after they have completed their quest. That’s what I think will happen. The 49ers’ next defensive
coordinator will be Nick Sorensen, who currently oversees the defensive passing game.
During the previous two seasons that Sorensen has been with the 49ers, their pass defense has been outstanding. He’s an excellent fit,
having worked under both Wilks and DeMeco Ryans. Furthermore, the 49ers can simply let go of Sorensen if Robert Saleh is
dismissed the following season and they wish to rehire hi
m as the defensive coordinator.
In my opinion, Sorensen will only serve as a stand-in if the 49ers decide to promote him.
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