San Francisco 49ers: Time to call Robert Saleh into question

After an ugly first-half defensive showing by the San Francisco 49ers in Week 3 against the Kansas City Chiefs, it’s time to question whether or not Robert Saleh is the right fit at coordinator.

I hate to say it, but defensive coordinator Robert Saleh might not be the right fit for the San Francisco 49ers.

Saleh’s story to the NFL is an amazing and inspiring one. No one is questioning that. And it’s not hard to see why head coach Kyle Shanahan and the Niners organization was intrigued by bringing him aboard to be the team’s defensive coordinator. After all, Saleh stemmed from both the Seattle Seahawks and Jacksonville Jaguars defensive systems which, when at their peak, were/are arguably the best the league has seen as of late.

But a year-plus into his tenure with San Francisco, the team’s defensive results are leaving a lot to be desired.

We can grant Saleh a pass in 2017. The Niners as a whole were entering year one of a complete rebuild, and the then-first-year coordinator had relatively few promising pieces with which to work.

In year two, however, things are looking no better. Arguably worse, in fact.

After allowing the Kansas City Chiefs to score touchdowns on their opening five possessions during the 49ers’ 38-27 Week 3 loss, it’s apparent Saleh and the Niners don’t have either the personnel or the play-calling adjustments to back up his Cover 3, 4-3 Under defense.

These approaches worked in Seattle and Jacksonville, but those teams had the personnel to make it work. A single-high All-Pro safety in the Seahawks’ Earl Thomas, as well as a dominant front four the Jaguars have, which allowed linebackers and defensive backs to drop into coverage.

The 49ers have no such players or units. Not now, at least. And Saleh has yet to show he can adjust his scheme to the fewer talents of his own roster.

There’s more to this as well.

Heading into the 2018 season, Bleacher Report’s Brad Gagnon ranked out all 32 teams’ coaching staffs. The Niners surprisingly came in at No. 12, although most of that had to do with Shanahan’s innovative offense and the sheer number of first-year head coaches elsewhere around the league.

Gagnon’s breakdown of Saleh was rather telling, though:

"Nitpicking a tad here, but he’s not supported by a lot of accomplished or experienced assistants. Saleh’s defense didn’t fare well in his first season in that role, and tight ends coach Jon Embree is the only other roundly recognizable name on staff."

Saleh’s 2017 defense struggled, finishing 25th in scoring when the year was said and done. And while the personnel issues can be to blame, partially, there are other factors and trends at play here.

Case in point, the 49ers had a whopping 125 missed tackles in 2017, according to Pro Football Focus. Prior to Week 3, the Niners already had 26 misses — easily on pace to eclipse last year’s horrid numbers.

And that won’t improve once the defense’s Week 3 efforts are broken down.

Back to Gagnon’s point. The 49ers coaching staff overwhelmingly lacks experience. It’s fresh, new and still trying to cut its teeth.

This made sense amid the first year of the rebuild. But with the lofty expectations placed upon the franchise in 2018, the lack of experience is showing in a major way.

One would doubt Saleh winds up getting the ax this season. Yet it’s entirely feasible he’s playing on borrowed time and on the hot seat between now and Week 17. It’s no longer about the lack of talent. The fundamentals and play-calling woes have carried over from last season.

An experienced coordinator would surely do the 49ers some good in 2019.

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