Robert Saleh could be the next head coach of a division foe

This would be juicy.

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When the San Francisco 49ers hired Robert Saleh, they knew it may not be long until he is back to being the head coach of another NFL franchise. With the defense consistently playing over its head despite so many injuries, the expectation grew even more that this would be one-and-done for Saleh.

While Saleh has not been the hottest name on the market yet, he did get his first interview request. The Arizona Cardinals will interview Robert Saleh to be their next head coach. 

Will Robert Saleh be the Arizona Cardinals' next head coach?

This could be a great fit for the Cardinals. First, they know Saleh well, having faced him in the division. They already had Jonathan Gannon, who ran a specific defense. They do not run the same defense, but their base front and zone concepts are not far off, so they may not need a massive personnel change.

Beyond that, the Cardinals are a group that needs some stability. They went for the potential fiery defensive coach with Gannon, but what they really wanted was someone like Saleh.

On the flip side, most owners tend to go from one side to the other. Often, they will hire a defensive coach, get mad, and then get excited about the new offensive mind. Or, they will hire an offensive mind, think that he did not instill enough toughness, and want to hire on the defensive side. Does Saleh being too similar to Gannon actually hurt him here?

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Another interesting thought is that this is the first time that Saleh has had his name brought up. For what could have been the hottest coordinator on the market, you would think that all six teams are at least interested in interviewing him. It is still early, but defensive coordinator Vance Joseph has four interview requests so far, and Saleh has one. 

It is far too early to know for sure, but right now Kevin Stefanski to the Giants has a lot of buzz, and Brian Flores to the Las Vegas Raiders is trendy as well. Matt Nagy is the hot name tied to the Tennessee Titans, and Saleh may not want to go to the Cleveland Browns, given their stability and issues in ownership. 

If this is the case, it may be down to the Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens and Cardinals for Saleh. The Falcons have not requested to interview him yet, and the Ravens just moved on from their coach recently. Still, with names being connected to other jobs and Saleh not being one of them, it may give the 49ers hope that Saleh will be returning.