Still no sign of the San Francisco 49ers finalizing on a defensive coordinator.
It's fine that they haven't hired one yet. They should undergo a handful of interviews before coming to a decision. However, that decision might've already been made. The 49ers have only interviewed two candidates: Robert Saleh and Lions defensive backs coach Deshea Townsend.
Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
The 49ers may have decided on Saleh, which explains why they haven't interviewed anyone else. The issue with that is Saleh is interviewing for head coaching vacancies with the Las Vegas Raiders and the Jacksonville Jaguars. Becoming a head coach still looks like his priority.
However, returning to the 49ers benefits Saleh.
The 49ers' defense is coming off a disappointing year, especially with the way it ended for them in the final weeks. If Saleh comes in and gets them turned around, he'll be heavily credited and praised for it. It will only increase his stock of how great of a coach he is and create hype for him to become a head coach the following year.
That way when he gets interviewed in next year's coaching cycle, he can show off to teams that he was the one who got the 49ers' defense turned around. It will allow him to transition explaining how he would get the team interviewing him turned around and help him sell himself. That's basically what coaching interviews are.
Saleh will become a hot candidate like he was after the 2020 season if the 49ers' defense is a top unit again. Right now, he isn't one. Otherwise, he wouldn't be interviewing with only two teams the Raiders and the Jaguars. Neither team is an attractive position to Saleh and he is probably not likely to be hired anyway.
If there is one thing Saleh should learn from his tenure with the Jets, it's that he needs competent ownership. Personnel decisions from ownership are what essentially did him in as the head coach. The draft selection of Zach Wilson who is a bust, and bringing Aaron Rodgers to the Jets. No coach can endure that storm.
If he goes with the Jaguars, he will have to deal with Trent Baalke who is a toxic figure. Owner Shad Khan isn't the greatest either. If he goes with the Raiders, he will have a supportive owner, but a very incompetent one in Mark Davis. Does Saleh really want to use his second and likely last coaching stint on the Raiders and Jaguars?
The Jaguars are the likeliest since he spent three seasons (2014-to-2016) with them as their linebackers coach. Perhaps he gets a favorable deal since he knows the owner well. Nevertheless, returning to the 49ers is a chance for Saleh to wait for better openings and strengthen his case to be a head coach.
He can also use this team to reflect and see what he can improve on for his second head coaching stint. And if he doesn't like the openings after one season, he can continue to build himself up. He's proven he can sustain a high-level defense with the 49ers, so there's little to doubt his ability to do it again if he stays aboard for two years.
Ultimately, I think Saleh will become the defensive coordinator of the 49ers after he hears out the Raiders and the Jaguars. Or rather, the 49ers better hope so.
