The claim for every defensive coordinator prospect

The 49ers are looking for a replacement for Steve Wilks, their current defensive coordinator.

John Lynch noted yesterday that the team is in “no rush,” and that no candidate will change the squad’s schematic identity. The four recognized contenders are former Chargers head coach Brandon Staley, San Francisco’s defensive pass game specialist Nick Sorenson, 49ers defensive backs coach Daniel Bullocks, and Kansas City’s defensive back coach Dave Merritt.

Merritt’s interview is one of the two minority outsider interviews allowed under the NFL’s Rooney rule. Soon, there will be another name to include in the search.

Let us lay out the CV and argument for each candidate.

Brandon Staley

Staley’s term as Chargers head coach was not particularly successful. Under Staley’s leadership, the Chargers consistently underachieved on defense. In 2021, the Chargers placed last in most defensive metrics, including surrendering the third-most points (459) and yards (6,122).

In 2020, Staley had his best season as defensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams. The Rams gave up the fewest points (296) and yards (4,511) in the league. Staley’s defensive strategy hinges around two high safety looks, but the issue remains: is Staley better suited to manage a defense rather than a whole team?

Nick Sorensen

Sorenson, as one of the two in-house candidates, is expected to perform well due to his familiarity with the team’s defensive strategy and squad. In 2023, the 49ers tied the Chicago Bears for the league-high of 22 interceptions.

Sorensen has previous NFL experience as a safety, having played for Miami, St. Louis, Jacksonville, and Cleveland. After retiring from playing in 2010, Sorensen joined Seattle’s coaching staff in 2013 as an assistant special teams coach before being elevated to assistant defensive backs coach in 2016 and secondary coach from 2017 to 2020.

Daniel Bullocks