For a third consecutive offseason, the San Francisco 49ers will be searching for a new defensive coordinator.
The 49ers will not retain Nick Sorensen as their defensive coordinator following a 6-11 season in which the squad finished 29th in points allowed, NFL Network Insiders Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero reported Tuesday night.
There is a chance Sorensen will remain on the staff, but it won't be as the leader of head coach Kyle Shanahan's defense.
Of course, one name that will jump to the top of the list of potential replacements is Robert Saleh, who was fired this past year as New York Jets head coach and was the Niners' DC from 2017-2020.
Sorensen was signed on to be Shanahan's DC following the dismissal of Steve Wilks, a questionable move in the eyes of many after Wilks aided in the 49ers' advancement to the Super Bowl. Wilks was hired on in 2023 to replace DeMeco Ryans, who took over as Houston Texans head coach.
While moving on from Wilks was puzzling to some, Sorensen not returning as DC isn't all that surprising considering the disappointment of the 2024 season.
San Francisco, a Super Bowl contender at season's onset, was dealt a rash of injuries -- including to defensive standouts Nick Bosa, Dre Greenlaw, Talanoa Hufanga and others -- and was worn down by season's end. The 49ers lost seven of their last eight, allowing north of 30 points in four of the defeats and 40-plus in the last two games.
The 29th ranking in points allowed was the worst for the club since it was dead last in 2016.
The 46-year-old Sorensen has been with the 49ers since 2022, when he was hired as a defensive assistant. In 2023, he was the defensive passing game specialist and in 2024, the DC. While he could be back in another capacity, Shanahan and general manager John Lynch will begin looking for a new leader of their defense forthwith.
