The 49ers’ GM search enters its fourth week, and the team’s finalist contingent is unclear after two prospective members — since-re-signed Packers execs Eliot Wolf and Brian Gutekunst — dropped out of the running recently. The team is prepared to reopen its search if necessary at this point, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com tweets.
Although a report hinted at this on Sunday, this runs counter to the 49ers’ initial plan of sticking with their list of initial candidates. Vikings assistant GM George Paton and Cardinals VP of player personnel Terry McDonough continue to reside as the de facto finalists after the Jed York-led nine-man search. New candidates could include Falcons director of football operations Nick Polk or Jaguars director of player personnel Chris Polian. La Canfora mentions former Browns executive Morocco Brown, who worked with Kyle Shanahan in Cleveland, and Redskins exec Alex Santos as options if the 49ers indeed reopen this search.
In addition to York’s involvement in the search, outside trepidation regarding executive Paraag Marathe‘s influence has served as a factor during this lengthy process as well, La Canfora notes.
La Canfora also passes along that Shanahan would likely receive control over the team’s 53-man roster if he’s hired to become the next head coach as expected, describing the upcoming scenario as the new GM essentially reporting to the coach. This also contradicts a previous San Francisco direction, with word coming out the Atlanta OC was comfortable working alongside a GM and didn’t need control over the roster.
The 49ers are now potentially competing for executives with the Colts, who fired GM Ryan Grigson over the weekend. Indianapolis is eyeing internal candidate Jimmy Raye III, whom the 49ers interviewed but didn’t categorize as a finalist, as an early frontrunner for the job.
Is working for the 49ers more undesirable than working for the Browns?
Yes, 49ers have 0 rebound ability. While the browns have some ability to get back in the game.
When your owner is Jed Dork, yeah…
Yes. 49ers don’t have much young, inspiring talent. Browns don’t have much either, but their O-Line is still good when healthy and the team has an abundance of draft picks to go with some of their talent. And while this might not factor into a decision, turning the Browns into a contender would be more noteworthy than turning the 49ers back into one.
It’s amazing. Somehow taking direction from Jed York & Paraag Marathe is actually seen as worse than Jimmy Haslam and the homeless man he consults with that told him to take Manziel
At least the Browns have an abundance of upcoming high draft picks…
If I’m Paton or McDonough I’m withdrawing. Doesn’t say much for either of them if the team is restarting their search.
The browns have a decent coach on board and ok with the rebuild. Everyone the niners have requested to interview have denied there request. Apparently having a program in rebuild mode already and a coach on board with said rebuild is more desirable
Can anybody else see Jed asking a list of interview questions he found on google during these interviews? Tell me where you see yourself in 5 years? What is your greatest weakness? What kind of animal would you identify yourself with?
What? He said he identifies with a bald eagle? Hire that guy