Defensive Coordinator Hire is the 49ers' Most Critical Offseason Move
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Defense has been the main strength of the 49ers since 2019.
Quite a crazy concept considering that Kyle Shanahan is an offensive oriented head coach. Typically a team's strength aligns with the side of the ball that a head coach identifies with. Not the 49ers who's identity always resides with the defense.
Right now, the 49ers are searching for a way to maintain that identity with DeMeco Ryans becoming the new head coach of the Texans. What Ryans did the previous two seasons as defensive coordinator was nothing short of magnificent. He took an already elite defense that Robert Saleh managed and transcended it. Having two coordinator hires back-to-back be a massive success isn't common. Whoever they end up bringing in to fill the vacant position has to be a sure fire one.
The 49ers' defensive coordinator hire is their most critical offseason move.
It's not even close. What has carried the 49ers to success in all three of their playoff runs under Shanahan is the defense. The offense always starts slow no matter what and they are allowed that time to figure it out because the defense is granting them that. If not for how great the defense was, the 49ers probably don't make it to the Super Bowl in 2019. If not for how great the defense was, it probably doesn't matter that Deebo Samuel made the switch to running back in 2021. The same thing this year when the offense was a complete drag until Brock Purdy took over.
The 49ers can't miss when they hire their next defensive coordinator. It's what has allowed them to thrive all these years. Finding someone on the same level as Ryans is most likely out of the question, but can the next coordinator be in the realm of it? If the 49ers' defense is just a few notches less with the next coach, then that is fine. The Niners should sign up for that instantly. Besides, they have tremendous talent all over the defense, so it would be quite difficult for a new coordinator to make them regress substantially.
Vic Fangio is now off the table as he officially is going to Miami to take the same position. Steve Wilks formerly of Carolina and Chris Harris formerly of the Commanders are the two coaches left to be considered for the position. Defensive line coach Kris Kocurek could also be a candidate should he desire it. Kocurek could arguably be the Niners' best option since Shanahan wants as little tinkering as possible with how the defense is structured now. I personally would advocate for Wilks, which I will explain why in a follow up article.
Whoever the 49ers end up with, they just cannot whiff or else they can be dreading it in the middle of the 2023 regular season.
