Welcome to the 49ers Robert Saleh! And today Kyle Shanahan confirmed all that was speculated on: The 49ers will be converting to a 4-3.
Fine.
A few comments about the future conversion act as if the 49ers have something good with their personnel and going to a 4-3 is going to mess everything up. Mess what up? The 49ers defense last year was one of the worst in the league. The year before it, it wasn’t much better.
If this is what a 3-4 defense is getting us, this is as good a time as ever to switch things over to a 4-3. It’s not like the 49ers, along with the rest of the league play don’t play in nickel and dime packages half the time negating this 3-4, 4-3 identity anyways. When Vic Fangio ran his 3-4 defense to success during the Harbaugh years, they were in 4-3 formations more than one would realize. Now, they don’t have a defensive identity at all. Yes, some of the roster will need adjusting and some players may not work in this system, but again, it’s not like the 49ers had a winning defensive formula to begin with.
And if I’m getting a some semblance of a west coast offense at the cost of a 3-4 defense? Sign me up. Offense, like Steve Young said is the 49ers legacy, not defense. 3-4 defenses of Vic Fangio make me warm and fuzzy inside. And no, Kyle Shanahan’s offense is all his own, but it’s the closest thing we’ll get to a WCO in a while.
Onto your links!
Shanahan Hires Saleh as 49ers Defenisve Coordinator (Maiocco)
Give this a listen: Kyle Shanahan says 49ers will run Seattle’s defensive system (Jones)
49ers looking at Benton at offensive line coach (Barrows)
49ers announce 9 new, returning assistant coaches (Niners Nation)
T.O. takes aim at Cris Carter (Pro Football Talk)
Torrey Smith excited to see Shanahan's plan for 49ers (NFL Network)
Louis Riddick says he was very, very, very close to getting the 49ers GM job (Kevin Jones/KNBR)
Wasn’t York tried and convicted of this already? You can do it again? Verdict is in on Jed York’s performance in guiding 49ers (Cohn)
Babysitter to boss: Gary Kubiak on 49ers’ Kyle Shanahan (Branch)
What a horrible night to have a curse...