The 2024 Super Bowl may have been less than three weeks ago, but life goes on and so does the NFL. In fact, even the Kansas City Chiefs are already thinking about next season, despite they can still remember their win over the San Francisco 49ers perfectly well.
Chiefs defensive backs coach Dave Merritt could be on his way out of Arrowhead, but the curious thing is he might end up in the Bay area. According to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network, the 52-year-old is interviewing for the Niners’ defensive coordinator opening.
“The 49ers are interviewing Chiefs defensive backs coach David Merritt for their defensive coordinator position, sources say,” Garafolo wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “Merritt, a longtime trusted assistant for Steve Spagnuolo, helped coach up KC’s fourth-ranked pass defense this season.”
The news made noise given how recently the Chiefs beat the 49ers in the big game, but it reflects how fast everyone in the league can move on. The new season won’t start until September, but teams are already making decisions with Week 1 of 2024 in mind.
Dave Merritt during a game between the New England Patriots and the Kansas City Chiefs on December 17, 2023, at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
Merritt, who’s served in Kansas City since 2019, has been a pivotal member behind the Chiefs’ defense that helped win the championship last year. However, the team could lose even more important pieces from the unit.
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Chiefs aiming to keep championship defense together
Apart from Merritt’s possible departure, the Chiefs have a number of impending free agents this offseason, with a list headlined by defensive tackle Chris Jones and cornerback L’Jarius Sneed.
At 29, Jones is seeking one of the biggest contracts for a defensive player after proving his worth during his time in Kansas City. As for Sneed, the team placed the franchise tag on him but also gave him permission to seek a trade, according to reports.
Keeping both of them is the priority for this offseason, but the list of Chiefs free agents in 2024 is even longer, with the likes of Drue Tranquill, Mike Edwards, and Donovan Smith also in that group.
49ers looking for a change after firing Steve Wilks
Meanwhile, Merritt’s departure could be inevitable if the assistant coach wants to embrace a bigger role after many years under Steve Spagnuolo’s wing. The 49ers DC job looks like an interesting opportunity, as the team decided to make a change in the unit after the Super Bowl loss.
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“He is a great football coach. But just where we’re going and where we’re at with our team from a scheme standpoint and things like that,” Shanahan said about Steve Wilks’ firing. “Looking through it all throughout the year, through these last few days, I felt pretty strongly that this was a decision that was best for our organization.”
