Speculation: Josh McDaniels to replace Jim Harbaugh as 49ers head coach?

good for josh. about time a belichick assistant gets a decent job. not stuck with the ****ty browns/jets!
49ers don't have a QB though but are loaded everywhere else.

I don't know how anyone could think the Falcons job is better than SF's. Atlanta's defense is a mess, with virtually nothing to build around, particularly on the line. The RBs are lousy and the offensive line is weak. Basically, all you have is a QB and some WRs.

As much as SF has fallen off, and as hard as their division looks right now, they have significantly more talent on their entire roster. Both teams have decent ownership and a willingness to stand by coaches, so that isn't really a factor.

The only argument I can think of is that Kap is a mess and confidence at QB is a non-negotiable, no matter how everything else stands.

ctpatsfan77 said:

I'm going to assume that means that McDaniels is the guy the 49ers would want most.

If McDaniels is smart, he'll wait until Belichick retires and take over the NEP.

Click to expand...

There's no telling when that will be. Or if Kraft even wants him as HC. SF is about as good of a job as you'll get. Much better than something like NJ or Cleveland last year.

patchick said:

Despite the gaudy numbers in his contract, it's my understanding that Kaepernick can be cut painlessly. The 49ers brass was savvy and crafted a deal that sounded impressive but didn't tie them down: http://deadspin.com/colin-kaepernicks-126-million-contract-is-remarkably-1586520353

Click to expand...

It isn't the cap numbers. I think whoever gets the 49ers job is stuck with him. I don't think ownership will let the new head coach part with him for at least another year or two of mediocre results. I don't think McDaniels will go into another job and get rid of the QB quickly like he did in Denver because even though he was right about Cutler, it put him on the hot seat really fast.

God I hope not last thing was need is a distracted Mcdaniels heading into a superbowl run.

Oswlek said:

I don't know how anyone could think the Falcons job is better than SF's. Atlanta's defense is a mess, with virtually nothing to build around, particularly on the line. The RBs are lousy and the offensive line is weak. Basically, all you have is a QB and some WRs.

As much as SF has fallen off, and as hard as their division looks right now, they have significantly more talent on their entire roster. Both teams have decent ownership and a willingness to stand by coaches, so that isn't really a factor.

The only argument I can think of is that Kap is a mess and confidence at QB is a non-negotiable, no matter how everything else stands.

Click to expand...

Atlanta has a franchise QB to build around. San Fran doesn't. Right there it makes it a better job. It is a QB driven league. Add the fact that the Falcons can be a play off team next year with as bad as their division is and unless they win the division this year will have a high draft pick to start to rebuild.

Plus the 49ers are old at a lot of positions (Justin Smith, Anquan Boldin, Frank Gore) and could lose a lot of pieces to free agency in the next year or two. And they are either up to or over the 2015 cap right now (they are at $150 million in 2015 according to Over the Cap and the project cap number is supposed to be in the mid $140 millions). Atlanta's current cap spending for 2015 is $113.6 million giving them a lot of room to improve in free agency.

I don't think either job is all that attractive, but Atlanta looks to have a better future and management has a lot of Patriots ties.

I do not get why people think McDaniels is head coach material. He was a disaster in Denver, but I hope he goes to San Fran and exposes himself so the McDaniels replacing Belichick story can disappear.

I just like having a contingency plan in place if McDaniels turns down more jobs we know that he is the heir.
It could very well be Patricia as well.

woolster22 said:

Josh for being a pass happy mercenary prick, leaving us in limbo, again.

Click to expand...

Man, to bad Belichick doesn't have the power to intervene with the offensive plan. Yup, that McDaniels runs the whole show over there.

New England Pride said:

Then who would we blame when things don't go perfect on offense?

Click to expand...

i have someone in mind

I just hate losing valuable coaches and strengths to the organization. There's a possibility if the Dolphins clean house Lazor could be available and I like him coming from Kelly's system and thought he did some good things as coordinator.

Can I ask a question though why couldn't the Donkeys lose Gase and we keep McDaniels?
You also have to prepare for the outcome that McDaniels takes a few coaches out the door with him and weakens us even more.

Guessing he would promote the D line coach to his defensive coordinator.

Also I have to throw it out there: McDaniels trades 3 1sts for Tom and brings Tom home to the Bay.

Just read the article; not to concerned. I don't think the Niners would have enough fanfare with the selection. I believe they go snatch a college coach; at least I'm hoping so.

james87654 said:

i have someone in mind

Click to expand...

Remember that time Brady threw a pick trying to hit Brian Tyms deep and it was McDaniels fault? What a stupid play call.

patsinthesnow said:

11-17 as a head coach with the Broncos
Coordinated the 32nd ranked scoring offense in 2011 on the Rams
Coordinated top level offenses with Brady, Moss, Gronk, etc.

IMO, his resume doesn't look that pretty. I'm surprised his name is always mentioned with numerous jobs.

Click to expand...

I think the book on McDaniels has been re-written somewhat based on the draft picks. Tebow never developed into what they had hoped, although he had shown signs and then Manning became available. But Thomas, Moreno, Decker, Beadles, Colquitt, Ayers, and Clark were all part of Denver's Super Bowl team last year. And his biggest move of trading Cutler doesn't look as terrible now as it seemed at the time.

And speaking of Tebow, say what you want about him, but he was responsible for turning around that team. McDaniels was patient with him and didn't throw too much at him, but it was amazing to see how things turned around when he finally got his chance. The 2011 Broncos under John Fox were 1-4 before Tebow, hardly any better than McDaniels 3-9 start to the previous season before being fired. It was only after Tebow entered the line-up that the team finished 7-3 and made the play-offs.

As for the record, not sparkling. But as Schefter wrote last week, Tom Landry started out his career 13-38-3 in his first 4 seasons, Chuck Noll went 12-30 in his first 3 seasons, Bill Walsh went 8-24 in his first 2 seasons, and even BB went 36-44 to start his career in Cleveland, then had a terrible first year with New England.

So I think he deserves a second chance, and I think you need to look beyond his record. No team is ever happy with their OC. People even gave flack to Charlie, who couldn't hear much of it because he was stuffing his ears with championship rings. It is what it is.

Deus Irae said:

They didn't give away an entire draft. They flipped 2011 firsts for

2011 2nd
2011 4th
2012 1st
2012 4th

That's a big price, but 4 draft picks is not why that team has struggled in the past 2 seasons.

Click to expand...

They didn't "give away a whole draft" for one player, they only spent 2 firsts, a second and 2 fourths on the player? Pardon my math, but I'm pretty sure that adds up to more than one draft's worth of picks.

That trade certainly isn't the only reason for the dearth of talent on the current Atlanta roster. But I feel pretty confident that if Dimitroff could do it over again, he wouldn't (even though Jones is a tremendous player).

McDaniels is not HC material. He's a great OC (although i don't like him sometimes) and should stay as such, for his resume's sake.

New England Pride said:

Remember that time Brady threw a pick trying to hit Brian Tyms deep and it was McDaniels fault? What a stupid play call.

Click to expand...

Having called a "stupid" play or for that matter a stupid series would disqualify every OC in the league several times every year.

patchick said:

They didn't "give away a whole draft" for one player, they only spent 2 firsts, a second and 2 fourths on the player? Pardon my math, but I'm pretty sure that adds up to more than one draft's worth of picks.

That trade certainly isn't the only reason for the dearth of talent on the current Atlanta roster. But I feel pretty confident that if Dimitroff could do it over again, he wouldn't (even though Jones is a tremendous player).

Click to expand...

You confuse "trade" for "spent". The trade was precisely what I said, and you'd have to be crazy to think that 4 missing picks is enough to take a 13-3 team down to a 4 win team in one season.

If SF and ATL are seriously interested in Josh, I think he should seriously look at the opportunities. They're FAR superior organizations than what was out there last year.
I do not think it makes sense for Josh to hang here waiting for BB to quit coaching in the NFL. Even at that, there's no certainty that whatever years from now he would be offered the HC position.

IF quality orgs view him as HC material, he should seize an opportunity that fits his desires & capabilities. Maybe one of these does, maybe not.