The San Francisco 49ers held the Los Angeles Rams to only seven points in the season opener down under, and additionally held the Miami Dolphins to only 13 points in Week 2. Raheem Morris' first season as the Niners' defensive coordinator is off to an excellent start, and there's already plenty of comparisons to his predecessor Robert Saleh.
Saleh typically favored a four-man front on the line. It's a very common and sound structure that's been credible in the game for decades. But the NFL is an ever-changing beast, and offenses are changing things up at an alarming rate. As such, the defense needs to make on-the-fly adjustments dependent upon the offense they see in front of them.
That's where Morris' approach begins to differ.
Raheem Morris is putting his own stamp on 49ers defense
Raheem Morris manipulates the protection to get exactly what he wants. The top DCs will always attack the back. He uses Bosa's gravity to his advantage here. Warner walks up to occupy the center. The line slanting basically makes it a 1-on-1 drill for Stout vs. the RB. No chance pic.twitter.com/DMbTeV63xJ
— Kyle Posey (@KP_Show) September 11, 2026
Take this play for example. Nick Bosa lines up off of the edge and draws the attention of the the right side. When the ball gets snapped, the whole line pushes the opposite way of Bosa, creating a lane for Upton Stout to push in. With a single running back as the last line of defense, Stout took an easy route to the quarterback. That manipulation of the line is exactly what Morris brings to the table.
That's not to say that Saleh didn't bring five-man looks as well.
Here you'll find a highlight from a September 2025 game against the New Orleans Saints. It happened to be the very play where Stout recorded his first career sack. In this particular highlight, Saleh also places five bodies on the line, but the approach couldn't be more different.
Initially Stout lines up to cover the slot, only to shift at the last second. When the ball is snapped, Renardo Green drops back into coverage, allowing Stout to push the quarterback. In a very similar manner, Stout is again blocked by a running back. That pressure creates enough force in conjunction with the other side to collapse the pocket and make the quarterback take off.
Both plays worked out in the 49ers favor, but this shows a clear difference to approach from the respective coordinators. While Saleh's play achieved the sack, it did so with brute force. Morris' clever shift on the line tricked the offense into opening the lane for them. And if it wasn't Matthew Stafford with the ball, it very well could have ended in a sack, too.
Obviously Saleh and Morris are both talented enough coaches to be head coaches in the league. Saleh departed the 49ers for his second time to become a head coach for a different organization, and Raheem Morris could be well on his way back to the same fate.
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