State of the 49ers: Tomsula, Fangio, Gase seen as Harbaugh replacements

[Back To The Future...]

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/writer/jason-la-
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With the season getting closer to its conclusion and 49ers coach
Jim Harbaugh still without a new contract and all but certain to
be coaching elsewhere next season, speculation about his next
stop -- whether it be the Raiders, the University of Michigan,
the Jets or the Dolphins -- will continue. But if he does depart
with a year remaining on his existing contract, the next 49ers
head coach could already be on staff.

The 49ers believe they have several capable coaches under
contract now, according to numerous league sources, and if
Harbaugh departs, defensive line coach Jim Tomsula and defensive
coordinator Vic Fangio would be at the top of their list of
candidates to replace him. League sources said that Broncos
offensive coordinator Adam Gase is seen as a top external
candidate, but the team is expected to thoroughly explore its
internal candidates as well. The 49ers, who have a bevy of big
contracts already on the payroll for 2015, could be in line for
a reshaping of the roster as well as the coaching ranks.

Owner Jed York has long been a fan of Tomsula's, who was named
interim head coach when Mike Singletary was fired in-season and
who has a strong interview for the Vikings head coaching vacancy
last year. Tomsula has a long history with the team and has been
viewed by other clubs as a potential head coaching candidate in
recent years. He relates well to players, who respond to his
direct style and play hard for him, his unit has annually been
among the best in the game and he is someone the organization
would love to keep on staff.

Fangio has also done a tremendous job and he, too, would merit
consideration to replace Harbaugh, sources said. Like Tomsula,
it's expected that the 49ers would get requests from other teams
to interview Fangio for head coach opportunities and management
would love to be able to keep the bulk of its defensive staff in
place, sources said, with that unit continuing to thrive this
season despite a slew of significant injuries.

While the 49ers would interview some outside candidates and must
obviously comply with the Rooney Rule as well should they seek a
new head coach, it would not surprise many around the league if
they did promote from within. Trying to lure a high-priced, big-
name coach doesn't hit their model (they have balked at paying
Harbaugh, with trips to three straight championship games, the
$7 million-plus a year he hopes to command). Former Jets and
Browns head coach Eric Mangini is also on staff, but many around
the league expect him to go with Harbaugh, while offensive
coordinator Greg Roman might do the same depending on which job
Harbaugh lands.

With a year left on his deal, the 49ers are expected to seek
draft pick compensation in a trade of Harbaugh should he go the
NFL route, while several colleges will approach him as well,
most notably Michigan, where he played and has strong ties.

As for its roster, San Francisco currently has $149.5 million
committed in 2015 cap space, with the cap projected to be $144
million, and they have a slew of key free agents and aging
veterans making big money who might not be back. Salary cap
specialists and execs from other teams, who have sized up the
49ers contracts, believe that linebacker Ahmad Brooks ($9.6
million cap number for 2015) will not be back and they also
believe the team may have to chose between two key linebackers
coming back from serious injury (Patrick Willis and NaVorro
Bowman each has a cap number over $8 million.

The team's receiver group could be overhauled. Steve Johnson
won't be back at a $5.5 million salary and these execs believed
it's virtually certain Anquan Boldin, who has a $5.5 million
base salary and a $3 million guarantee that comes due in March,
will not be back at that salary, either. Michael Crabtree and
Brandon Lloyd are unrestricted free agents.

Long-time dominant running back Frank Gore is nearing the end
and his contract is up after this season. Defensive line
stalwart Justin Smith has been considering retirement for years
and it's hard to see the 49ers paying Ray McDonald a $4.1
million salary with a $6.5 million cap number. The secondary
could have a different look as well with corners Perrish Cox,
Chris Culliver and Chris Cook all pending free agents after the
season.

The new coaching staff, should Harbaugh depart, will have its
own schemes and system-fit players to acquire and it could well
be that this three-year run, and window to win with this staff
and roster as presently constituted, is ending. Many around the
league anticipate more of the lingering bad blood between
Harbaugh and the management and ownership of the 49ers to
continue to boil over in the coming weeks, particularly if this
team ends up merely playing out the string in December.