The 49ers have been trying in vain to replace DeMeco Ryans since he left last year. Under Ryans, they had the no. 1 defense in the NFL.

The San Francisco 49ers will look different next season. And maybe not just a little bit. After the firing of defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen, coach Kyle Shanahan and Co. are looking for new leadership on the defensive side of the ball.

The 49ers snagged a third-round comp pick in the 2025 draft when DeMeco Ryans and Ran Carthon were both hired in the same offseason. Ryans went to the Houston Texans as their head coach. Carthon went to the Tennessee Titans as their general manager.

The 49ers are going all-in for a Robert Saleh reunion. The former New York Jets head coach has an offer on the table from San Francisco to become the highest-paid defensive coordinator in the NFL, according to The Athletic’s Matt Barrows.

Potential 49ers defensive coordinator candidate Jeff Ulbrich was hired by the Atlanta Falcons for the same role.

The San Francisco 49ers are on the search for a defensive coordinator once again after firing Nick Sorensen following just one season in that role.

The San Francisco 49ers fired defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen after ... This is the third straight offseason that San Francisco will change defensive coordinators, starting when DeMeco Ryans left following the 2022 season to take over as head coach ...

The San Francisco 49ers added a new first priority to their offseason plate when head coach Kyle Shanahan fired defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen. They’ve been swift in looking for Sorensen’s replacement, completing their first two interviews Thursday with others likely coming soon.

Changes are coming to the San Francisco 49ers coaching staff after the club's disappointing 6–11 finish to the 2024 season.

Townsend is a former longtime Steelers cornerback who has managed secondaries across the NFL over the last decade. He has been a defensive backs coach for the Titans (2016-17), Giants (2018, assistant), Bears (2019-21), Jaguars (2022-23) and Lions (2024). The last two stops have included duties as the defensive passing game coordinator.

Linebacker Dre Greenlaw is the consensus most important free agent to re-sign this offseason, a topic one 49ers insider recently chimed in on

The San Francisco 49ers are making significant coaching changes after a disappointing 6-11 season, including searching for a new defensive coordinator