There may be a Robert Saleh reunion on the West Coast.
The 49ers are “expected” to offer Saleh the open defensive coordinator job. According to Josina Andersona position he held with the franchise before becoming the Jets' head coach.
But first, Saleh plans to meet with the Jaguars and Raiders next week regarding their head coaching vacancy.
Saleh was fired by the Jets after a 2-3 start to the season, ending his first stint as head coach that lasted more than three seasons and finished with a 20-36 record.
The 49ers are looking for a new defensive coordinator after parting ways with Nick Sorensen. Nick Sorensen struggled last season as his team went 6-11, falling far short of their Super Bowl goal, ranking 29th in points allowed.
This is the first time in four years that a team has failed to advance to at least the NFC Championship Game.
Saleh led the 49ers' defense from 2017 to 2020, garnering attention for their Super Bowl appearance in 2019 and becoming widely known for assembling one of the league's top defensive units.
Despite his challenges as a head coach, Saleh's reputation as a defensive strategist remains strong.
Previous success with the 49ers included developing a defense that ranked in the top five in the NFL in 2019 and 2020.
If Saleh wants to win a head coaching job again, he will likely have his job offered to him in a busy cycle of candidates.
Former Titans coach Mike Vrabel, Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, Detroit offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo are among the six head coaches to be hired. He was among those who were interviewed multiple times.
If Saleh doesn't manage to land the top job, he might just have a fallback option waiting for him.
