The San Francisco 49ers are making a change at defensive coordinator after just one year of Nick Sorensen. The Niners were injury-plagued but also predictable and passive. It was telling when Nick Bosa told reporters that he felt like the team would finish stronger.

To me, that signals Sorensen’s words were no longer getting through to the defense, as we only saw one “all-in” effort from that side of the ball during the second half of the season.

If Sorensen sticks around as special teams coordinator, the 49ers will likely technically go outside of the building for their next defensive coordinator hire.

Former New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh is expected to interview with the Jacksonville Jaguars next week for the head coaching vacancy. Saleh coached the Jaguars’ linebackers for three years before joining the 49ers as their defensive coordinator from 2017 to 2020.

According to Josina Anderson, Saleh will have another head coaching interview but will also be offered the 49ers defensive coordinator job. If the intent is to maintain as much continuity as possible, it would make sense to bring back the defensive coordinator who laid the blueprint. Saleh and Sorensen both come from the Pete Carroll tree, but Saleh evolved over the years and was a mastermind back in 2019.

When I watched the Jets under Saleh, their defense always competed at a high level and was prepared for every opponent. However, those were two components lacking in the 49ers’ defense this past season.