New defensive coordinator Robert Saleh takes back over a defense he led to almost an elite level back in 2019.
He left in 2020 to become the head coach of the New York Jets, but returns after things didn't work out well out east (shocker).
But after spending four seasons in New York, Saleh compiled some nice draft picks for the Jets, and he's brought a couple with him back to San Francisco.
One, safety Jason Pinnock, was drafted as a corner, but moved to safety after. Pinnock lasted just one season with the Jets before joining the cross-town rival Giants, where he found footing.
“We drafted J.P. as a corner and halfway through his rookie year we moved him over to safety," Saleh said. "Credit some of the guys at the Jets that are still there, just kind of beat him out in that second year. But I've always been a fan of his athleticism, his length, his football IQ.
"He's a really good football player and just being with him over the course of the first couple of months, he's grown significantly from a maturity standpoint and he's attacked the heck out of it. He's going for it. So, with Jason, you're getting a guy that's going to add athleticism and speed and football IQ to your football team. And now that's just a matter of him competing and holding onto it.”
Saleh had moderate success from 2017-2018 as the defensive coordinator before 2019 brought defensive dominance to San Francisco and helped the team to a Super Bowl LIV appearance.
Now he's back home and is intent on rebuilding the 49ers' defense into what it was before he left. A Super Bowl contender. And it starts with the new rookie class and free agent additions.
