They also interviewed Detroit Lions defensive backs coach and defensive passing game coordinator Deshea Townsend.
Saleh was the defensive coordinator for the 49ers from 2017 to 2020 before being hired as the Jets head coach. In that span, the 49ers defense ranked 24th (2017), 13th (2018), 2nd (2019), and 5th (2020).
Saleh was fired by the Jets after starting the season 2-3. He left New York with a combined 20-36 record through his (almost) four years with the team.
The 49ers fired former defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen on January 7th but hope to retain him in another staff position, according to multiple sources. Sorenson is coming off of his first year as the 49ers' defensive coordinator in which the defence ranked 8th overall (passing - 5th, rushing - 18th) but 29th in scoring.
As for Townsend, the Lions ranked 30th in pass defence this season but it could be chalked up to the unreal amount of injuries the defence had. Townsend is coming off of his first season with the Lions. He previously worked for the Jacksonville Jaguars in the same position for the 2022 and 2023 seasons in which the team ranked 26th (2023) and 28th (2022) in pass defense.