Between DeMeco Ryans and Robert Saleh twice now, the San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator has produced three head coaching gigs in half a decade. The easy conclusion is that this is a desirable job as it’s been a springboard for multiple head coaching jobs.
Any success with a team that has the brand of the 49ers will put you in the spotlight. It helps when you have some of the best players at their respective positions in the NFL. But how attractive is the 49ers defensive coordinator job this
offseason?
Nick Bosa and Fred Warner make for ideal building blocks. However, after those two, can you point to a promising starter?
The player with the second-highest cap number on defense is Deommodore Lenoir. Despite being targeted the fewest number of times since taking over as a starter, Lenoir allowed the most touchdowns, had the fewest pass breakups, and never really seemed to make the impact that the team hoped he would when they inked him to an extension during the 2024 season.
The hope was that Malik Mustapha would take a leap in his sophomore season, but Mustapha’s offseason was marred by an injury that kept him out of the lineup until Week 6. The 49ers also head into the offseason with a question mark next to Mustapha.
The 49ers’ second-round pick in 2024, Renardo Green, allowed a 50 percent completion percentage, allowed one touchdown, and finished 11th in the NFL in pass breakups. Yet, he was benched twice this season by his head coach.
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Linebacker Dee Winters stayed healthy for the most part in 2025. He’s under contract for one more season. His potential replacement, rookie Nick Martin, battled concussions and rarely played during his first year. If the Niners lose K.J. Wright to the Titans, it’s fair to assume the linebacker play would drop off.
Rookie Upton Stout was promising and showed growth as a player. Nickel is turning into an important position on defense. You wonder how Stout will hold up with his frame, but the talent and effort are undeniable.
The pass rush revolves around Bosa. Bryce Huff’s pressure numbers would have looked much better had he played with Bosa all season. He was still in the top 20, but the impact wasn’t there. We learned little about Mykel Williams. We know Alfred Collins and CJ West are formidable against the run, but leave enough to be desired as pass rushers, where the Niners might need to invest once more.
And that’s before you get to replacing veterans and filling out the depth along the defensive line. With that in mind, are we sure this is a position where candidates are knocking down the door for? It may not matter, as there’s an obvious in-house coach who could take the job.
