Waiting for Robert Saleh Could Cost the 49ers a Quality DC Hire
It's probably safe to say that Robert Saleh is the 49ers' top choice to be their defensive coordinator.
It's also probably fair to assume that the 49ers are high on Saleh's list of preferred destinations. But he also has interviewed for two head coaching vacancies -- one with the Jaguars and one with the Raiders. And anyone would rather be a head coach than a coordinator.
So the 49ers are waiting for Saleh to make a decision. And Saleh is waiting for the Raiders and Jaguars to make decisions. And they're probably waiting to interview certain coordinators whose teams are still playing in the playoffs. The Raiders in particular are reported to be heavily interested in Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson.
Which means the 49ers' defensive coordinator search could take longer than expected. And if they wait weeks for Saleh and he ultimately becomes the head coach of the Jaguars or the Raiders, then the 49ers could have missed out on other quality defensive coordinator candidates such as Dennis Allen and Lou Anarumo.
I'm guessing Saleh ultimately will re-join the 49ers as their defensive coordinator. But if he doesn't, the 49ers might not have a viable second option and they could be stuck promoting Brandon Staley from assistant head coach to defensive coordinator. That would be a disaster.
It will be interesting to see how patient the 49ers will be. The longer they wait, perhaps the more confident they are they eventually will land Saleh.