49ers news: These teams could hire DeMeco Ryans away in 2023

The 49ers nearly lost defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans to a head-coaching vacancy last offseason, and they probably will lose him in 2023.

A little less than a year ago, San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans ultimately turned down a second interview with the Minnesota Vikings for their head-coaching vacancy in the wake of firing Mike Zimmer.

Ryans felt he had some unfinished business on the defensive side of the ball, particularly after the Niners were bounced by the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Championship game.

After some tweaks, additions and adjustments, Ryans is now at the helm of the NFL’s No. 1-ranked defense. While the personnel on the field has had a lot to do with all that, Ryans can claim a lot of credit for San Francisco’s already-good defense turning into perhaps one of the greatest defenses in franchise history.

That defense is almost guaranteed to get Ryans a head-coaching gig elsewhere in the upcoming season, though.

And these teams are likely to be calling Ryans to interview him this offseason.

49ers could lose DeMeco Ryans to Broncos

Nathaniel Hackett became one of only a handful of coaches in the modern NFL era not to survive his first season as a head coach, as the Denver Broncos ultimately elected to fire him after Week 17.

Almost nothing has gone right in Denver this season, and one can fairly ask about the direction of the team since its victory in Super Bowl 50, meaning some sort of identity will be needed.

According to CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson, Ryans is on the short list of candidates expected to draw interest from the Broncos:

Granted, Anderson listed some other well-known names, some of whom are hot candidates themselves.

Yet Ryans is one of the rapid risers, and he won’t fall into the category of a retread, such as Dan Quinn or Sean Payton.

49ers could lose DeMeco Ryans to Panthers

Remember when the 49ers ended the Matt Rhule era with the Carolina Panthers way back in Week 5 this season?

Perhaps the Niners somehow churn out the coach to ultimately replace him.

DeMeco Ryans might not be a No. 1 name on Carolina’s list of head coaches, but it would make a good deal of sense. The Panthers have a respectable offense at least, and Ryans’ calling card might be to assist in getting the most out of that unit amid what’s otherwise been an abysmal NFC South this year.

It’s also possible, too, he winds up bringing some Niners personnel and former players with him, not unlike what now-Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel did when he vacated San Francisco.

Amid their own search for a new quarterback, could a pending free agent like Jimmy Garoppolo travel with Ryans out to Charlotte in 2023?

49ers could lose DeMeco Ryans to Colts

In one of the stranger developments this season, the Indianapolis Colts fired head coach Frank Reich and decided to replace him in the interim with a former player, Jeff Saturday, who had never coached a football team higher than a high school level.

Saturday has gone 1-5 since taking over, and it’s probably a good bet that Indy won’t simply hand him the job this offseason.

Enter DeMeco Ryans.

Ryans is no stranger to the AFC South, having spent considerable years with the Houston Texans, and there’d likely be plenty of motivation by facing off against his former squad twice a year.

Indianapolis would enjoy the prospects of playing within a bad division, yes, but the post-Reich era is likely to be accompanied by what’ll be a lengthy rebuild that’ll have to include finding a franchise quarterback to replace the aging veteran, Matt Ryan.

If the Colts don’t mind being patient with Ryans, that process could pan out nicely if it follows a 49ers-like trajectory.

49ers could lose DeMeco Ryans to Texans

Let’s be honest here, DeMeco Ryans would entertain the thought of going back to the team that originally drafted him way back in 2006, the Texans.

Ryans spent six seasons there as a player and made it to two Pro Bowls after earning a Defensive Rookie of the Year award in his first season, so he has ties to the city and the franchise.

The only question is whether or not he’d want to try fixing what has been a laughingstock of a franchise for the past few years, and it’s also worth questioning whether or not Ryans would want to work with general manager Nick Caserio, too.

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Caserio does have a working relationship with Jimmy Garoppolo, though, from their days together with the New England Patriots. So, that’s something to monitor.

Yet it’s anyone’s guess whether or not Houston is going to completely gut things (it should) with head coach Lovie Smith and what’ll be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.

Would Ryans want to walk into that situation?

Maybe.