The 49ers are hiring Brandon Staley, but not as their defensive coordinator. After a longer-than-expected search to replace Steve Wilks, Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers have decided on a unique arrangement.
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter and Jeremy Fowler, the 49ers are promoting defensive passing game specialist/nickels coach Nick Sorenson to defensive coordinator.
It's a rapid defensive rise for Sorenson, who joined as a defensive assistant in 2022. He spent 2021 as the Jacksonville Jaguars' special teams coordinator after spending the previous eight years with the Seattle Seahawks. He was a special teams assistant (2013-16), secondary coach (2017-19) and secondary coach/nickels specialist (2020) before joining Jacksonville.
Staley, oddly enough, will likely fill the role vacated by fellow former Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn, who was the team's assistant head coach/running backs coach. Staley is expected to take that assistant head coach title, with an obvious focus on the defensive side of the ball.
At the NFL Combine, general manager John Lynch said that Staley's proclivity towards a 3-4 scheme shouldn't be a reason to dismiss him.
"He's a really bright dude," Lynch said. "We have an open mind, but we do know there's certain core principles that we're going to always be on the defensive side... I wouldn't rule him out because of that."
Clearly, the desire to bring in Staley, while remain defensive continuity, was the reason the search lingered on a bit longer than expected.
In the end, Sorenson beat out fellow internal candidate Daniel Bullocks (safeties coach), Staley and two external candidates in Chiefs defensive backs coach Dave Merritt and Raiders safety coach Gerald Everett, the last of whom was first reported by Matt Barrows of The Athletic. The final coordinator opening in the NFL is now filled.
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