The 49ers are likely to avoid an external hire at DC due to various reasons.
The San Francisco 49ers have not announced their defensive coordinator vacancy, despite Steve Wilks’ 10-day firing, which may seem alarming given the team’s current situation.
The team is currently seeking a defensive coordinator, so they should carefully consider options without pressure, with the toughest challenge being selecting an internal versus external candidate.
The 49ers may avoid hiring an external defensive coordinator, as they must align with their defense practices, as they have several intriguing external candidates to consider.
Wilks’ increased coverage and sideline presence may lead to public slights from Shanahan and defensive players, which the 49ers aim to avoid, as they value their players’ support and buy-in.
With an internal hire, the players will at least work with that coach. They will cut him some slack and even make him feel at ease. I doubt Wilks felt at ease at all throughout the season given how players like Nick Bosa would say that Wilks is “still adjusting” and such. Not to mention that an internal hire already knows the ins and outs of what makes the defense successful and what works for his players.
Daniel Bullocks, a defensive backs coach, has been advocating for the 49ers since 2017, and his ability to work well with position coaches and tie defense phases together is highly anticipated.
The 49ers are expected to hire internally to avoid the issues of the past season.
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