The 49ers have been planning an organizational transition for weeks, as previously reported, and still intend to begin that process with the search for a new general manager, according to league sources. A new GM would then have the green light to remove coach Chip Kelly, sources said.
Given the team's brutal season and Kelly's failure to duplicate his college offense in the NFL, there is a strong expectation that a new GM would prefer starting over with his own coach.
The York family met this week to discuss the future, sources said, including the roles of GM Trent Baalke, Kelly and acting owner Jed York, who has come under fire in San Francisco for the team's plummet to the bottom of the standings since an ugly divorce with former coach Jim Harbaugh.
League sources said the team plans to try to interview the top personnel men from other clubs as well as former general managers to spearhead the process. In the past they have had difficulty attracting those type of candidates. A year ago, no other NFL teams were considering Kelly for jobs following his messy fallout with the Eagles, for instance.
The 49ers have roster issues galore, starting at quarterback and the entire offense. Outside of the defensive line, there are holes on the other side of the ball as well.
The 49ers could get a jump on the GM market -- other teams who already fired their coaches such as the Rams, Bills and Jaguars have retained their general managers, at least for now. Some names potentially connected to the 49ers job include former Chiefs GM Scott Pioli and former NFL personnel executive Louis Riddick.
On the coaching front, former 49ers assistant Vance Joseph is seen as a rising star for his work as the Dolphins' first-year defensive coordinator and he would have appeal to the team, sources said. Jed York has been very high on Josh McDaniels in the past, but it's unlikely he would be interested in this job given the number of options he'll have, including several that most coaches would consider much more appealing.
