After a disappointing 6-11 season, the San Francisco 49ers had no choice but to make changes this offseason. That process began earlier when they decided to move on from 2024 defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen and replace him with former New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh, who coordinated San Francisco’s defenses from 2017 to 2020.
While Saleh’s NFL head coaching tenure in New York didn’t go the way he hoped, he’s certainly a respected defensive mind respected by many players throughout the league.
Now as NFL free agency draws near, Saleh could help play a key role in attracting the NFL’s top cornerback to San Francisco.
Recently, Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox named the 49ers as one of two potential suitors to sign Reed in free agency.
“The 28-year-old has been playing the best ball of his career since joining the Jets in 2022,” Knox wrote. “A 2018 fifth-round pick of the 49ers, Reed spent time in San Francisco and Seattle before landing in New York—where he has started every game in which he’s appeared. A return to San Francisco could make a lot of sense, especially if the 49ers don’t retain Charvarius Ward. Their defense saw a dip in 2024 and the 49ers recently re-hired Robert Saleh as their defensive coordinator. Saleh coached Reed during the first two years of the cornerback’s career.”
Ward is expected to depart San Francisco in free agency, but the 49ers could potentially upgrade the position with a player coach Saleh is already familiar with in Reed. Depending on his contract demands, signing Reed could make a lot of sense for the 49ers.