The 49ers Could Hire Dennis Allen to be their Defensive Coordinator

The 49ers are being extremely deliberate with their search for a new defensive coordinator.

Oct 27, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; New Orleans Saints head coach Dennis Allen on the sidelines in the second half against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The 49ers are being extremely deliberate with their search for a new defensive coordinator.

They've interviewed Robert Saleh already and have been linked to New York Jets interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich. Those two coaches are obvious candidates because Saleh was the 49ers defensive coordinator from 2017 to 2020 and Ulbrich was Saleh's defensive coordinator from 2021 to 2024 in New York.

If the 49ers don't land either of those coaches, they could turn to former Raiders and Saints head coach Dennis Allen according to ESPN.

"While Saleh and Ulbrich are considered top candidates, another name worth keeping a close eye on is former New Orleans Saints coach Dennis Allen," writes ESPN's Nick Wagoner. "Allen has extensive experience, working eight years as a defensive coordinator in Denver and New Orleans, almost six seasons as a head coach with the Saints and Raiders and another year as the Saints senior defensive assistant. Shanahan has long respected Allen, as most recently evident in the fits Allen's defense gave Shanahan's offense in a Nov. 2022 victory in which the 49ers managed just 13 points on 4.7 yards per play against Allen's Saints."

Wagoner makes a good case for Allen, who certainly has shown to be a capable defensive coordinator in the past. Perhaps the 49ers feel that Saleh would leave for a head-coaching job after one good season while Allen probably would stick around considering he has been fired twice as a head coach.

But it's fair to question Allen's fit. He runs a completely different scheme than the one the 49ers have had under Kyle Shanahan since 2017. Hiring Allen would mean a complete schematic and philosophic shift for the 49ers and it's unclear if their personnel fits what he would want to do.

In addition, Allen's temperament is similar to Kyle Shanahan's. Both are low-energy play callers who are smart but lack the ability to emotionally motivate their players. Shanahan is at his best when he's balanced out by a defensive coordinator who can function as the emotional core of the team.

Hiring Allen would be a mistake.

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