According to Matt Maiocco of CSN Bay Area, the 49ers have hired former Browns DC Jim O’Neil as the teams new defensive coordinator.
Rand Getlin of NFL Media reported earlier in the week that O’Neil was the “new favorite” to run San Francisco’s defense, so this shouldn’t come as a major surprise.
The 49ers fired DC Eric Mangini over a week ago, which came just a day after Texans LBs coach Mike Vrabel, but he he elected to turn down the job.
The 49ers reportedly considered LBs coach Jason Tarver as an internal candidate for the job as well.
O’Neil, 37, began his NFL coaching career with the Jets as their defensive quality control and DBs coach back in 2009. He later caught on with the Bills as their linebackers coach before joining Mike Pettine’s staff as their defensive coordinator in 2014.
In 2015, Mangini’s defense ranked No. 29 yards allowed, No. 27, in pass yards, No. 29 in rush yards, and No. 18 in points allowed, so there’s plenty of work to be done next year.
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