REPORT: Why the 49ers made a mistake at defensive coordinator

The San Francisco 49ers put an end to rumors last week when they promoted defensive pass game coordinator and nickels coach Nick Sorensen to defensive coordinator, hoping to fill the vacuum internally after hiring Steve Wilks last offseason.

In addition to promoting Sorensen, the 49ers recruited Brandon Staley, a former Los Angeles Charger, as a defensive specialist after interviewing him for defensive coordinator.

Last season, after several interviews, the 49ers hired former Carolina Panthers interim head coach Steve Wilks, who brought a defensive back history to San Francisco, a first for the defensive coordinator post.

While the 49ers’ interceptions increased, the defense suffered as the season ended, which carried over into the playoffs and the Super Bowl.

In fact, it appeared that the 49ers were going to move on from Wilks regardless of the outcome of the Super Bowl, highlighting the rift between him and Kyle Shanahan, as well as among the players.

Now, the 49ers have done an excellent job of moving on when a fit, whether with a player or a coach, isn’t working, as they did with Wilks.

However, they made a mistake at defensive coordinator last offseason, and their hire of Sorensen this week just compounds the error.

What worked for DeMeco?

When the 49ers hired Wilks last summer, they were searching for a shift in mindset from their new defensive coordinator while also avoiding internal possibilities.

San Francisco’s most recent hire, linebackers coach DeMeco Ryans, was an internal decision who proved to be an excellent one, overcoming some early blunders to become the league’s top defensive coordinator, earning him a head-coaching position with the Houston Texans last summer.

Now, the key with Ryans was patience; the 49ers defensive coordinator admitted to some early issues, which he accepted responsibility for, before settling into his role as the season went on.

Then, during his second season as defensive coordinator, Ryans’ progress was obvious: he had mastered disguising coverages and ordering well-timed blitzes for a squad that loved to rush with only four down linemen.

As a result, the 49ers’ defense in 2022 was the league’s best in several key categories, propelling them deep into the playoffs once more, despite facing two different quarterback changes in the middle of the season.

Overall, Ryans was able to learn from his mistakes and find his groove as a first-time playcaller, resulting in a successful 2022 season and a head-coaching position.

Sorensen’s situation

With Sorensen becoming the next defensive coordinator, the 49ers are getting someone with a diverse background, as the former passing game coordinator has special teams experience as a coordinator, while also being a disciple of the Seattle system, having worked there from 2016-20.

Like Wilks, Sorensen comes into the role with a defensive back background, although he’ll be tasked with doing the primary thing that his predecessor struggled with: marrying the pass rush to the secondary.

However, Sorensen’s leash is much smaller than Ryans’s, given the 49ers’ closing Super Bowl window, which could arguably end after this upcoming season with the team’s current core of star players.

While Ryans had time to develop into an elite defensive coordinator between his first and second years, Sorensen needs to adapt quickly and find his groove as a playcaller as the 49ers look to push their eggs in with hopes of another deep playoff run and a Lombardi Trophy this season.

Now, Sorensen was in the building during that electric 2022 season, where he got first-hand experience working with Ryans, so his internal experience could accelerate that process.

But, in hiring Sorensen, head coach Kyle Shanahan is putting a significant amount of pressure on his defensive assistant to produce early and often with the roster at his disposal.

Brandon Staley’s involvement

Brandon Staley’s hiring is an intriguing one for the 49ers, as the former head coach has extensive playcalling experience stemming back to his year as the defensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams.

But, his role is unknown with the 49ers, as it’ll be expected that he’ll help with the creativity on the gameplanning side.

Now, Staley could be an essential asset in helping the 49ers’ defense reach its old heights while serving behind the scenes.

However, Staley’s presence is both a help and a sign of pressure for Sorensen, as the 49ers have another option with playcalling experience that could take over should their new defensive coordinator struggle initially.

That wasn’t the case in either of the past two years, but 2024 is a crucial year for an aging 49ers roster that faces several tough decisions over the next two offseasons when it comes to contracts on the team.

What the 49ers should’ve done

Overall, the biggest mistake was not promoting Sorensen last offseason.

If Shanahan had the confidence to go with Sorensen this offseason, the 49ers head coach should’ve made the decision last year, understanding that the team essentially had a two-year window with their current roster to contend for a Super Bowl.

That way, Sorensen would’ve had the same acclimation period as DeMeco Ryans, allowing him to grow year-to-year as he adjusted as a playcaller.

Unfortunately, in choosing Wilks, Shanahan burned one of those two years, while placing even more pressure on a first-time playcaller to get the job done. On top of that, there’s another face in the building who actually has playcalling experience that could overtake that role at any team.

Now, the world isn’t crashing down, and Sorensen could very well thrive in his new role with the 49ers defense, helping them back to their original levels.

But, the circumstances around the past two years have certainly made that job more difficult, placing him in a tough situation to succeed.