The 49ers have opted to move on from Steve Wilks, meaning they'll need a new defensive coordinator in 2024. Here are five options.
The San Francisco 49ers' attempt to get the most out of their elite defense under coordinator Steve Wilks has come to an end.
During a surprise conference call with reporters on Wednesday, head coach Kyle Shanahan revealed that he had relieved Wilks of his duties as defensive coordinator after just one season, one in which the Niners owned the third-best scoring defense but still left many feeling as if that side of the ball could have performed at a much higher level.
Coupled with a collapse in Super Bowl 58's loss against the Kansas City Chiefs, it's understandable why San Francisco is moving on.
The job will be ideal, though. The 49ers still possess elite-level talent on that side of the ball, which is expected to be intact heading into 2024. Plus, prior Wilks, the Niners have used the defensive coordinator job as a pipeline to head-coaching jobs elsewhere. Robert Saleh and DeMeco Ryans both transitioned their defensive successes with San Francisco into head-coaching jobs with the New York Jets and Houston Texans, respectively.
But, who will be the top options to fill the void?
Shanahan also revealed that he will consider both internal and external options, but let's try helping him out a bit.
Here are five candidates Shanahan might want to call upon to replace Wilks in 2024 (and potentially beyond).
Option No. 1: Daniel Bullocks (49ers defensive backs coach)
One of the theories as to why Shanahan parted ways with Wilks is because the latter focused more on defensive backs and less on the 49ers' elite front seven.
That said, Shanahan might look to a younger in-house assistant who has already been immersed in the defensive scheme the Niners have had since 2017, current defensive backs coach Daniel Bullocks.
Bullocks, a former NFL pro safety, joined San Francisco's staff in 2017 and was also with Saleh with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2016, creating a lengthy association with the kind of defensive system the 49ers have operated.
As far as in-house options, this might be the best one. For those thinking defensive line coach Kris Kocurek would be a top choice, he has historically declined interest in accepting that kind of promotion.
Option No. 2: Bill Belichick (former Patriots head coach)
This is going to be discussed. As far as the feasibility of it, though, it's hard to envision.
Bill Belichick, the longtime head coach of the New England Patriots and arguably the best head coach in NFL history, is without a job after finally being relieved of his duties with the Pats. While his post-Tom Brady years in New England weren't particularly inspiring, the Patriots nevertheless boasted solid defenses in that span, and Belichick's defensive mindset remained a pinnacle of his coaching abilities.
Now, let's look at the reality of it all.
Belichick is 71 years old, and even though he's unemployed, he isn't likely to leap on the first possible opportunity. No, he'll be patient and await a best-case scenario, which could include taking a year or two off from football (if not walking away entirely).
On top of that, Belichick may not want to accept what would be the equivalent of a demotion from head coach to a coordinator.
If he did, though, the Niners' job might be an ideal landing spot.
Option No. 3: Mike Pettine (Vikings senior defensive assistant)
Kyle Shanahan and current Minnesota Vikings defensive assistant Mike Pettine have a history together, stemming from their time with the Cleveland Browns in 2014.
While that tenure didn't work out for either coach, and Pettine's subsequent journeys haven't resulted in any lengthy staying power, the relationship between him and Shanahan could come into play here.
Pettine does have coordinator experience, too, and he'd fit the mold of being a front-seven guy, his prior experience stemming from being a linebackers specialist. Plus, considering he might only get one more reasonable shot at being a head coach after what went down in Cleveland, using the 49ers' job as a pipeline could be a wise move.
Granted, Pettine has had some whiffs as a coordinator, including some questionable decisions during his Green Bay Packers tenure between 2018 and 2020.
But, if the Niners see those as a learning experience, Pettine might fit the bill.
Option No. 4: Marquand Manuel (Jets safeties coach)
Kyle Shanahan might not want a castoff coach like Mike Pettine, instead opting to go with an up-and-coming figure to lead the defense.
One candidate who'd potentially be perfect is current Jets safeties coach Marquand Manuel.
A former pro safety who was on the Seattle Seahawks' Super Bowl-winning team from 2013, Manuel has plenty of coaching experience in the Cover 3 zone-style defense the Niners have mostly employed since 2017. Manuel was also there with Shanahan with the Atlanta Falcons in 2015 and 2016, too, as an assistant.
As for the present, Manuel is serving on Robert Saleh's staff, which would help with schematic continuity if he was targeted by the Niners.
Option No. 5: Chris Harris (Titans cornerbacks coach)
San Francisco already interviewed 41-year-old former NFL defensive back Chris Harris in 2023 before settling on Steve Wilks, so one has to assume there's some modest interest there still in the four-time Pro Bowler who had plenty of success with both the Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Chargers.
At 34 years old, having served under former Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel, Harris could be one of those up-and-coming names with an elite playing pedigree to boot.
And while Harris is also not a defensive line specialist, he does have some schematic consistency from his time with the Bolts as a player in 2020 and 2021. Of note, Los Angeles had a 49ers-like scheme in 2020 under then-defensive coordinator Gus Bradley, who stemmed from the Seahawks' coaching tree.
Harris would also be relatable to plenty of players, too, given his relatively young age and the fact he also "laced 'em up" as a player, not unlike what the Niners enjoyed with DeMeco Ryans.