Will the 49ers appoint Jeff Ulbrich as their next defensive coordinator?
Pundits will make assumptions about the 49ers’ choice for the position’s hire until they do. According to Tim Kawakami of The Athletic, the 49ers will bring on Jeff Ulbrich, the defensive coordinator for the New York Jets.
The 49ers would seem to be drawn to Ulbrich for a few reasons.
1. Ulbrich is experienced in coaching the 49ers’ Wide 9 defensive system because he works under Robert Saleh, a former 49ers coach.
2. Like DeMeco Ryans, who was the 49ers defensive coordinator following Saleh, a former linebackers coach, he was both a linebacker and a linebackers coach.
3. Ulbrich could be interested in working for the 49ers, as he played for them, attended San Jose State, and is from the Bay Area.
Ulbrich can obviously make a lateral move without having to leave the Jets. The 49ers, who recently let assistant head coach Anthony Lynn join the Washington Commanders, may, nevertheless, hire Ulbrich as their associate head coach and defensive coordinator, and they may even offer him a sizable payout.
Given that Saleh is in his fourth season with the Jets and faces termination if he misses the playoffs the next year, the main issue with this possible move is that it would sour the relationship between Saleh and Kyle Shanahan. Could Shanahan truly take the defensive coordinator position from his pal and abandon him?
We’ll have to wait and see.