Not only did the San Francisco 49ers lose a brutal playoff game to the Seattle Seahawks over the weekend, shortly thereafter, they also lost their defensive coordinator as Robert Saleh is reportedly leaving to take over as the head coach of the Tennessee Titans.
It is a major disappointment because Saleh was able to get a lot out of a defense that had so many key injuries. One couldn't help but dream of what the defense could have been capable of in 2026 if linebacker Fred Warner and edge rusher Nick Bosa came back healthy and played under Saleh.
Alas, head coach Kyle Shanahan now has to find a new defensive coordinator for the fourth consecutive season, although he probably already started preparing for this and has some preferred replacements in mind.
Let's take a look at some of the names who could take over.
Gus Bradley
The safest choice for Shanahan would be to elevate Gus Bradley who seemed like a logical successor to Saleh from the moment he was hired. It seemed like Bradley was being groomed for this opportunity as he took on a more prominent role in pre-game meetings.
He is also very familiar with the style of defense San Francisco likes to play as he helped originate it with the Seattle Seahawks earlier in his career as a defensive coordinator.
Raheem Morris
Shanahan has spoken glowingly about Raheem Morris in the past, and after the Atlanta Falcons relieved him of his duties as head coach, it was easy to imagine a future in which Shanahan was finally able to get him on his staff.
One potential hurdle is that the defensive scheme Morris runs is different than the one the 49ers operate.
Maybe the Niners could bring him in as an assistant coach on the defensive side who could help out in a similar role to the one Brandon Staley played in 2024.
Jim Schwartz
If Shanahan wanted to go a little out of the box, he could bring in a guy who has historically had his number in Jim Schwartz. The veteran defensive coordinator has been around the game a long time and has been regarded as one of the best defensive coordinators in the game.
He has vexed Shanahan in the past so why not get him on the right side and have him vex opponents going forward?
It is unfortunate to see Saleh depart again after just one season, but the Niners have some intriguing options to replace him this time around.