Following his hiring as the San Francisco 49ers assistant head coach, it wasn't immediately clear what Brandon Staley's role with the team would be.
With his appointment coinciding with the promotion of Nick Sorensen as defensive coordinator to replace Steve Wilks, it was assumed Staley would have a substantial influence on the defense on a day-to-day basis.
Speaking at the NFL's annual league meetings on Tuesday, Shanahan clarified what Staley's duties will be, and they are indeed significant.
Staley's role
"Nick's going to call the plays," Shanahan said, per The Athletic. "That's the main job of a defense coordinator, is calling the defense. [Brandon] will be a huge part of game planning and doing everything on that side of the ball and helping me out in other areas. ... Brandon will be a big part of the game plans."
Shanahan's response indicated that Staley's responsibilities may not be solely limited to the defense. However, it's clear he will have a big say in its approach to their opponent each week.
That is not surprising given Sorensen is a first-time defensive coordinator and Staley oversaw one of the best defenses of recent years. He was the coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams in 2020 prior to being hired as Los Angeles Chargers head coach. In that season, the Rams ranked first in points and yards on defense.
He already has his fingerprints on their plans for 2024, with Shanahan adding: "(Staley) has been a big part of free agency already. Knows a lot of ball, has run a lot of schemes — happy that he’s part of ours now.
"I was just pumped to be able to get Brandon. I was hoping to stay in-house and do what we had done in the past on defense. But being able to get Brandon (on top of that) was huge."
Crucial connections
Staley coached edge rusher Leonard Floyd, who signed a two-year, $20 million with the 49ers, during his time with the Rams and before that his spell as the Chicago Bears linebackers coach.
Isaac Yiadom, whom the 49ers view as a potential starter at cornerback, was drafted by the Denver Broncos in 2018. Staley joined the Broncos as a linebackers coach a year later as part of Vic Fangio's staff. A famous Fangio acolyte, Staley may look to incorporate more of the coverage tendencies typical to that scheme, and Yiadom's familiarity is an obvious plus point.
The 49ers promoted Sorensen to get back having a coordinator who was worked extensively in the system they run after conceding Wilks was an imperfect fit in hindsight.
But Staley provides an extra layer of expertise and somebody who can diversify things so that the defense can continue to evolve.
He clearly had a significant say in how the 49ers attacked the open market and, as the season draws closer and the defense begins to take shape, the influence of one of the finest minds of the generation on that side of the ball will likely become more apparent.
More must-reads: