49ers May Have To Decide Between Jim Harbaugh Or Trent Baalke?

According to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports, there is “increasing buzz” throughout the Scouting Combine that the 49ers may have to choose between HC Jim Harbaugh or GM Trent Baalke.

Not only are the two men “barely speaking” right now, but La Canfora adds that Harbaugh also has a “strained relationship” with president Paraag Marathe while clashing with others in the 49ers organization.

“If anything, the impression I got this week was that the situation there is actually much worse than how it has been portrayed in the media, and helps explain the delay in giving a new deal to the coach, who has two years left on a contract he has outperformed,” La Canfora writes.

La Canfora also mentions that defensive line coach Jim Tomsula would likely take over for Harbaugh if the two sides elected to part ways at the conclusion of his current contract.

Harbaugh’s contract could be at the center of all this as some have suspected, but this isn’t the first we’ve heard that his future with the team is somewhat cloudy.

Matt Maiocco of CSN BayArea reported a few day ago that Harbaugh’s future with the 49ers remains “uncertain” adding that; “the 49ers will not pay Harbaugh like a Super Bowl-winning coach if he has not won a Super Bowl.”

It’s been incredible to see the situation involving Harbaugh has taken on a life its own since Pro Football Talk first reported that the Browns discussed the idea of possibly trading for him not too long ago.

Browns owner Jimmy Haslam didn’t help the situation any when when he told Jarrett Bell of USA TODAY Sports that “there was an opportunity there, and it didn’t materialize.”

 

Even so, every indication coming from the 49ers has been that they view Harbaugh and his contract as a priority this offseason and will work to get a deal in place in the coming months. Clearly, the easiest way for them to put all of this to rest is to reach an agreement sooner rather than later.

We’ll have more as the news is available.