Cheap Free Agents the 49ers Should Target, Part 5 â Defensive Tackles
The San Francisco 49ers have established a solid foundation for the interior defensive line.
Author:
Jan 28, 2021
For the next installment of “Cheap Free Agents the 49ers Should Target,” we’re taking a look at defensive tackles. You can check out the previous positions: safety, cornerback, linebacker and edge rusher.
Like linebacker, the San Francisco 49ers have established a solid foundation for the interior defensive line. Due to their depth on the interior, they should not spend more than $2 million on a free agent.
Veteran Arik Armstead, although versatile, is better suited to rush inside rather than the edge.
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According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Media, the San Francisco 49ers are hiring former New York Giants defensive coordinator James Bettcher to DeMeco Ryans defensive staff. His title with the team isn t yet known, but the NFL insider states that it will be a senior defensive role.
The #49ers are hiring former #Giants DC James Bettcher in a senior defensive role, source said. He ll provide veteran assistance for new coordinator DeMeco Ryans, as well as simply bolster the staff with the loss of Robert Saleh. Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 23, 2021
Bettcher, 42, served as the Giants defensive coordinator for two years from 2018-19, and the Arizona Cardinals defensive coordinator for three years from 2015-17. He held various defensive coaching roles before that with the Cardinals, Indianapolis Colts, and several collegiate programs.
Filling out a passport application was on my to-do list in March 2020, but I never got around to it because gestures at 2020 …
However, I’ve recently come to the conclusion that I need to get it in gear and start filling out some paperwork. It’s on my to-do list today (after I press “publish” on today’s Bullets).
• In a world where all is well that ends well, the Chicago Bears’ defensive coordinator search lasted all of 10 days. It featured threeknowninterviews, one candidate who said “thanks, but no thanks” to the opportunity, and one potential candidate who left for an opportunity out west. And in the end, Sean Desai is the man who is handed the keys to the castle. I can dig it. So let’s dive into it.
James Bettcher, Coaching Free Agent
Coaching Experience
• Arizona Cardinals (Defensive Coordinator, 2015-17)
• Indianapolis Colts (Outside Linebackers, 2012)
• New Hampshire (Linebackers/Special Teams, 2011)
• Ball State (Special Teams/Defensive Ends, 2010)
• North Carolina (Defensive Assistant/Graduate Assistant, 2007-09)
• Bowling Green (Graduate Assistant, 2006)
• Saint Francis, Ind. (Special Teams Coordinator/Defensive Line Coach, 2004-05)
Existing Rumors
Bettcher’s emergence as a candidate sprung up when it was reported that he interviewed for the position earlier in the week. This isn’t the first time Bettcher has had his hat in the ring for the Bears’ defensive coordinator gig. When Vic Fangio’s return in 2018 was up-in-the-air, Bettcher was considered a possible replacement option. Fangio returned to the Bears, while Bettcher moved on to run the Giants’ defense. It didn’t end well for Bettcher, whose tenure in New York