The San Francisco 49ers weren't one of the league's most active teams in free agency.
While the 49ers did bring in wide receiver Demarcus Robinson from the Los Angeles Rams and tight end Luke Farrell from the Jacksonville Jaguars, there wasn't a ton of splash from San Francisco's front office. Instead, 49ers CEO Jed York and president of football operations and general manager John Lynch zeroed in on clearing some pricier veteran contracts from the books.
As a result, San Francisco recently checked in with the 30th-ranked free agency class per ESPN. Given its minimal movement in free agency, has that sent the 49ers tumbling in ESPN's post-free agency NFL power rankings?
Not really. The 49ers do see a slight dip to No. 15 in the latest ESPN NFL power rankings, but it's only a two-spot slide. ESPN was complimentary of the 49ers hiring Gus Bradley as a defensive assistant. That earned ESPN's under-the-radar move for San Francisco.
The Niners' biggest move of the offseason was undoubtedly bringing back Robert Saleh as defensive coordinator. While adding Bradley didn't generate as many headlines, it's a move that could pay dividends in the short and long term. Bradley has 12 years experience as an NFL defensive coordinator and another four as a head coach. And, if Saleh has success and takes another head coaching job, Bradley would then become an obvious candidate to take over as coordinator in San Francisco or for Saleh wherever he might land. - Nick Wagoner, ESPN.
Saleh returns to San Francisco after three seasons as the New York Jets' head coach. During the 2022 and 2023 seasons, Saleh's Jets ranked first in the NFL in passing yards allowed per game (178.9) and opponent yards per play (4.7), second in total defense (301.7) and sixth in opponent yards per rush (4.1).
Bradley arrives in San Francisco after serving as the Indianapolis Colts' defensive coordinator from 2022-24. The 58-year-old was the defensive coordinator with the Las Vegas Raiders in 2021 and with the Los Angeles Chargers from 2017-20.
Bradley and Saleh are familiar with one another. The pair worked together on the Seattle Seahawks when Bradley served as the defensive coordinator from 2009-12. Bradley brought Saleh aboard as a defensive quality control coach in 2011.
Then, the pair worked together while Bradley was the Jaguars' head coach from 2013-16. Saleh was hired as the Jaguars' linebackers coach from 2014-16 before becoming the 49ers' defensive coordinator from 2017-20.
Saleh and Bradley inherit a defense that ranked eighth in total defense but 29th in scoring defense a season ago.
It's a defense and a San Francisco team that needs to get the 2025 NFL draft right in order to climb from these latest NFL power rankings and ...
