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Nick Sorensen and Brandon Staley had been the primary to interview with coach Kyle Shanahan for the 49ers’ defensive coordinator job.
Clearly, Shanahan was duly impressed. He reportedly plans to hire both of them.
Sorensen, 45, shall be promoted to defensive coordinator after two years as a 49ers assistant, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The coordinator place turned open when Shanahan fired Steve Wilks three days after the 49ers’ Tremendous Bowl LVIII loss to the Kansas Metropolis Cooks.
Sorensen, who played 10 NFL seasons as a security, will work intently with Staley, the previous Los Angeles Chargers coach. Staley, 41, reportedly will be a part of the 49ers’ workers as assistant head coach.
The 49ers’ takeaways soared over the previous two seasons with Sorensen on workers. He was tasked with developing with methods to emphasise producing turnovers, and the 49ers excelled in that space, with 42 interceptions whereas surrendering simply 40 landing passes.
Staley met with Shanahan and 49ers normal supervisor John Lynch and had a powerful interview. Shanahan and Lynch first frolicked with Staley in August 2021, when the 49ers and Chargers met in Costa Mesa for a few days of joint practices main as much as their preseason recreation.
Shanahan and Lynch had been impressed by Staley’s information of the sport and his means of expressing his perspective. After three seasons as Chargers head coach, Staley additionally will work intently with Shanahan in all areas.
The 49ers’ former assistant head coach, Anthony Lynn, was hired last month to affix Dan Quinn’s workers with the Washington Commanders as operating recreation coordinator.
After collaborating in interviews in Santa Clara, Lynch traveled to Indianapolis for the NFL Scouting Mix this week. He outlined what the 49ers were seeking from their new defensive coordinator.
“We like who we’re, what we do as a protection,” Lynch mentioned Tuesday. “I don’t assume we need to have some wholesale departure from that. We just like the type that we play, a four-down entrance that assaults.
“Having mentioned that, I feel you all the time need to evolve and also you have a look at a chance like this to look into the totally different ways in which we will evolve. Oftentimes, a number of these concepts come up in these interviews.”
Staley labored below former 49ers defensive coordinator Vic Fangio on his staffs in Chicago and Denver. The Rams employed Staley as defensive coordinator in 2020. He was there for one season earlier than touchdown the Chargers’ head-coaching job. Staley compiled a 24-25 report in three seasons, together with 0-1 within the playoffs.
Sorensen’s promotion from 49ers passing recreation specialist/nickel backs coach ends a 17-day seek for the brand new defensive coordinator. The 49ers additionally interviewed defensive backs coach Daniel Bullocks, Kansas Metropolis defensive backs coach Dave Merritt and Las Vegas safeties coach Gerald Alexander for the place.
Sorensen turns into a first-time defensive coordinator. He was employed by the 49ers as a defensive assistant in 2022 and acquired a promotion to defensive passing recreation/nickel backs coach final season.
Sorensen appeared in 134 video games over 10 seasons within the NFL with the St. Louis Rams, Jacksonville Jaguars and Cleveland Browns. He served as a backup security and special-teams contributor.
He got here to the 49ers after spending one season as particular groups coordinator in Jacksonville.
Sorensen started his NFL teaching profession in 2013 with eight seasons in Seattle on Pete Carroll’s workers. He began as a particular groups assistant, then moved to secondary coach (2017-19) and secondary coach/nickel specialist in 2020. He labored below defensive coordinators Kris Richard and Ken Norton with the Seahawks.
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