Eric Mangini could be on 49ers radar for defensive coordinator

The San Francisco 49ers could be considering Eric Mangini as a potential defensive coordinator, according to Matt Barrows. Mangini has spent the last two season with the 49ers, serving as an offensive consultant in 2013, and then tight ends coach in 2014. His two previous jobs were head coaching positions with the Cleveland Browns and New York Jets. He made his bones as a defensive assistant to Bill Belichick in Cleveland, New York and New England.

The team has had Jason Tarver in to discuss a role with the team, with initial reports indicating he would be the defensive coordinator. Tarver spent the last four years as defensive coordinator for the Oakland Raiders, but is no longer under contract. Given his availability and apparent interest in the job, one would think they would have something done at this point. The time it is taking could indicate plans to use him elsewhere. He was outside linebackers coach, so he could replace Jim Leavitt as linebackers coach.

As for Mangini, given his failure as a head coach, one has to wonder where his motivations would be as a coordinator. If he is looking for that next head coach job, working for Jim Tomsula would certainly be an intriguing situation, to say the least. There are plenty of assumptions to be made about the power dynamic in the 49ers coach-front office relationship. Mangini knows defense, but does it potentially create a volatile coaching staff at some point? I don't really have an answer to this, but am curious what people think.