SF 49ers: 3 best replacements for Robert Saleh if he leaves in 2021
By Peter Panacy
SF 49ers Defensive Coordinator Candidate No. 1: Dan Quinn
In 2016, then-Atlanta Falcons head coach Dan Quinn was Kyle Shanahan’s boss.
In 2021, the roles could be reversed.
Quinn, whom the Falcons fired earlier this offseason, probably isn’t looking like the best head coaching candidate out there. But as far as being a mere defensive coordinator, his early accolades with the Seattle Seahawks make him a nice fit for what the SF 49ers would probably want to operate.
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A problem with Teryl Austin is the Steelers run a 3-4 defensive front. Currently, the Niners aren’t constructed to handle that kind of makeup, at least not without some serious roster adjustment.
Quinn, who helped develop Robert Saleh in the first place, maintains the same kind of 4-3 Under scheme with a Cover 3 over-the-top secondary, albeit with some tweaks Saleh has implemented since 2017.
Yes, the Falcons were a defensive mess since 2018, and Quinn bears a lot of the responsibility there. But going back to his two years in a coordinator role with the Seahawks, 2013 and 2014 in which Seattle allowed both the fewest points and yards in the league, one can reason a well-stocked and healthy San Francisco defense could achieve similar results.
Plus, one figures Quinn would want to resurrect his career in the best context possible. A similar defense with star talent could help him do it.
Next. Ranking 49ers' 5 worst head coaches over last 20 years. dark
Only if Saleh ends up departing, of course.