The Niners interviewed a familiar face on Thursday for their vacant position.
The San Francisco 49ers conducted the first two interviews for their vacant defensive coordinator position, talking to a familiar face and a new name on Thursday. Former New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh and Detroit Lions defensive backs coach and pass game coordinator Deshea Townsend were the first two candidates to secure an interview.
Saleh, of course, was the 49ers defensive coordinator from 2017-2020, helping spearhead one of the team’s stronger defenses under Kyle Shanahan, built by a strong front seven.
He parlayed his success into a head coaching role with the Jets, but quarterback issues plagued his career there, leading to his dismissal this past season.
He’s the favorite to earn the job, with reports suggesting that Shanahan is already prepared to offer him the job with the hopes of retaining him for his former position. That could be an enticing opportunity for Saleh, should he not get any head coaching opportunities this cycle.
But, could the 49ers also look to get creative with their defensive coordinator hire? Deshea Townsend would fit that bill.
Look no further than his current stint, where he’s worked under defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, who has spearheaded one of the top defenses in the NFL, thanks to a heavy usage of blitzing and man coverage. Glenn himself is earning head coaching interviews this cycle and could very well be leading his own team next season.
Prior to that, Townsend had worked under several other aggressive defensive coaches such as Mike Caldwell (Jacksonville Jaguars), Chuck Pagano (Chicago Bears), and James Bettcher (New York Giants), who each like to blitz in different ways.
While the interview could just be to fill the requirements for the position, it certainly is a different outlook for Shanahan. Now, could there be other outside-the-box interviews, perhaps even from the college ranks?
The 49ers need to nail this defensive hire after missing out on each of their last two defensive coordinators, with one mistake even potentially costing them a chance at a Super Bowl.
So, even if Saleh is the perceived favorite, as the former defensive coordinator goes through the loops of his head coaching interviews, the 49ers should also do their due diligence on other intriguing candidates to see if there’s another strong fit out there that provides some creativity.
During his first stint with the 49ers, Saleh excelled at running the distinguished Wide 9 scheme, built off the strong defensive front.
Well, San Francisco has much different personnel this time around, as they don’t have nearly as strong of an interior defensive line, which has led to concerns about stopping the run.
If Saleh can be creative and find a fix to the problem while keeping his current scheme, the 49ers are in good shape. However, it seems like they’ll need to make some schematic changes to better fit their personnel.
Saleh has proven that he can create elite-level defenses even with the Jets, which bodes well for his ability to adapt to personnel. But, it is an interesting sign that the 49ers are looking into candidates with much different backgrounds, and that could continue to happen as the process goes along.