But it’s the interpretation of “good” that might be significant. The 49ers are paying him great money. And Saleh has more juice in the building this time around. One of the major storylines of this season is how much the 49ers missed him (and DeMeco Ryans), how much say Saleh already has had in personnel decisions, and how relieved Shanahan and John Lynch are to have him back — so neither one has to fret over the defensive coaching like they did the previous two seasons.
Put all that together, and I think Saleh has reasons to be picky about his next job. He’s already getting paid like a middle-rung HC. He doesn’t need to take a job that would only get him fired again. He could spend another four or five seasons here, and he’d still only be in his early 50s. And he knows that if the 49ers start to win big again, this is a pretty good place to be.
Do you think that other than having a soft schedule, the 49ers will truly be contenders in the NFC with the dependence on rookies, a questionable offensive line, and a lack of depth on defense and O-line — even if the draft pans out? — @marcdhodges.bsky.social
Yes, their super-soft schedule still could get the 49ers into the postseason whether or not they’re a good team. And yes, the 49ers still have a lot of high-quality players. They should win nine, 10, or 11 games, almost by accident.
Good record = how good of a team? This will be a season-long conundrum that likely won’t be decided if and until the 49ers get into the playoffs.
But we have the NFC West games as a measure. Nobody in the division looks great, and nobody looks terrible. If the 49ers dominate the West, that will be a truer sign than anything they do against Carolina, Chicago, Cleveland, and the rest of this shoddy out-of-division slate. And if the 49ers collapse against the Rams, Cardinals, and Seahawks, that would be a pretty loud indication of its own.
I’m reading about the new improved vibe this year from the players. Is it something you feel when you are around them? — @ninergriller via X
It’s hard to really know about stuff like that without being in the locker room (which is closed to reporters during the offseason) or around the players all the time. The best we can do for now is watch practice, observe the interactions, and ask the players about it.
So far, the leaders have been effusive about the energy level and commitment in all podium sessions, and it has all seemed quite genuine. There’s no doubt they’ve gotten more rest this offseason and they won’t have the contract-negotiation headaches they had last spring and summer. But let’s see how it feels in November and December.