The San Francisco 49ers offseason workout program finished up on Thursday, and by the end of next week, virtually every offseason workout program will be complete. We’ll then have two months of relative quiet (hopefully), followed by training camp. In between, we have two minutes to analyze and overanalyze every little thing.
One thing that will get plenty of play is where each coach stands. Numerous coaches face significant questions in 2016, and Jason LaCanfora decided now is as good a time as any to assess the state of the coaching hot seat. He split it up into five tiers:
- Mercury
- James Brown’s Celebrity Hot Tub
- At least two more years, right?
- The newly empowered
- Granite
LaCanfora decided that 49ers head coach Chip Kelly fit best in the second tier, but not for the most obvious of reasons. For most of the coaches on the hot seat, LaCanfora looked out how they might be fired. In discussing Kelly, he looked at it both in that regard, but also the chance that Kelly bounces out back to the college ranks.
The NCAA is always just a phone call away, Santa Clara has become dysfunction junction in the NFL, and you have to wonder how long this marriage lasts coming out of Kelly's carnage in Philly. He doesn't have a QB, or much talent on offense, and I'm not sure this team has even hit rock bottom yet. Two straight one-and-dones would be something, even for San Francisco, but this time it could be the coach and not the team making the call.
The 49ers front office has had its share of turmoil, but could it turn that ugly that quickly? I suppose anything is possible, especially with the 49ers, so I get offering up the thought, but what is the likelihood of this going south in less than 12 months? All seems well right now, which makes me think there’s virtually no chance of that happening. Of course, if the roster does not develop like Trent Baalke and company hope, I suppose this whole thing could go off the rails. But wouldn't Baalke seem like the guy more likely on the hot seat?