49ers’ coaching departures: How will Shanahan replace McDaniel, Hightower and others?

Kyle Shanahan’s coaching staff isn’t just changing, it’s doing so at major spots, and this is looking like an annual occurrence.

Who will he hire next? Interviews are underway, and the overall candidate pool surely is not as familiar to him as the trusted confidants who got poached the past 13 months.

Offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel was hired Sunday as the Miami Dolphins coach, not long after the Chicago Bears announced Richard Hightower as their new special teams coordinator, a role Hightower had held since 2017 with the 49ers.

Shanahan not only has those staff changes to address but also the departure last week of Jon Embree, who oversaw the tight ends and held the title of assistant head coach.

Those are three key coaches gone, a year after Shanahan saw his staff poached via the New York Jets’ hiring of Robert Saleh as their coach and Mike LaFleur as offensive coordinator.

DeMeco Ryans, promoted a year ago from linebackers coach to replace Saleh, is expected to return for a second year as defensive coordinator. He rebuffed a follow-up interview last week for the Minnesota Vikings’ coaching vacancy that is earmarked for Kevin O’Connell, the Los Angeles Rams’ offensive coordinator.

Losing McDaniel shakes up the offense in a big way. He’d been with Shanahan since 2011, and while they crafted clever game plans, McDaniel also worked wonders with hands-on coaching, relaying important details, including to wide receivers even when he held the title of run-game coordinator prior to this past year’s promotion.

Adding Anthony Lynn to the staff, as reported last week, is a boost. He’ll be the assistant head coach, but it doesn’t necessarily mean he will become offensive coordinator. The 49ers have not formally announced his hiring or any other coaching changes, and no other departures are known.

Shanahan could split that OC title as he’d done in previous seasons with McDaniel and LaFleur, perhaps making Lynn the run-game coordinator and adjusting Bobby Slowik’s title from pass-game specialist to pass-game coordinator.

Another in-house name to watch is Rich Scangarello, who returned a year ago as quarterbacks coach, a position he held with the 49ers from 2017-18 before joining the 2019 Denver Broncos (offensive coordinator) and 2020 Philadelphia Eagles (senior offensive assistant).

Lynn spent this past season with the Detroit Lions, and it was the first time he was an offensive coordinator in 20 seasons as a NFL coach. He previously was the Chargers’ head coach for four seasons. He capped his playing career as a running back under Mike Shanahan with the Denver Broncos (1997-99) after two seasons as a 49ers’ backup.

Offensive line assistants Butch Barry and Zach Yenser are also reportedly on the move, with Barry becoming the Denver Broncos’ offensive line coach and Yenser taking that role at the University of Kentucky. Chris Foerster took over as the 49ers’ offensive line coach last season after John Benton joined Saleh’s Jets staff.

As for special teams coordinator, Hightower’s job security waned as his units struggled last season, up until their heroics in a divisional-playoff comeback at Green Bay. Matthew Harper and August Mangin worked under Hightower this past season.

One potential candidate to replace Hightower is now off the market: Rich Bisaccia, the former Raiders’ interim coach and reportedly the Packers’ next special teams coordinator. Joe Judge, the former New York Giants coach and New England Patriots special teams coordinator, reportedly has interest from the Raiders for their special teams.

Perhaps the 49ers should bid for the Indianapolis Colts’ special teams coordinator: Bubba Ventrone, who wrapped up his playing career with the 49ers in 2013-14. Jeff Rodgers, the Arizona Cardinals’ special teams coordinator and assistant head coach, began his career with the 49ers from 2003-07.

Defensively, Ryans appears on a fast track to a head-coaching role, and Shanahan has promoted that possibility for over a year. A potential successor for that role, if Ryans does leave in a year, is James Bettcher, the 49ers’ senior defensive assistant and run-game specialist.