Dolphins officially miss out on perfect Anthony Weaver replacement

This won't be good if a vacancy opens up.
ByBrian Miller|
Anthony Weaver
Anthony Weaver | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Miami Dolphins hope to retain defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver, who has interviewed for the New Orleans Saints head coach job.

Weaver has become a popular candidate for the vacancy in New Orleans, which is the final remaining head coach opening after the Dallas Cowboys surprisingly hired Brian Schottenheimer.

The Dolphins need to hope Weaver sticks around because the perfect replacement, Robert Saleh, is taking the San Francisco 49ers' defensive coordinator job.

Saleh has been linked to the Dolphins through his close relationship with Mike McDaniel, but the Dolphins didn't have a defensive coordinator vacancy, just the possibility of one. Saleh was on the shortlist for the Jacksonville Jaguars head coach job, but they hired Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Liam Coen instead.

After missing out on the Jaguars job and the Las Vegas Raiders hiring Pete Carroll, Saleh has decided to go back to San Francisco and take the defensive coordinator job with the 49ers, according to various reports.

All eyes will be on Weaver over the next 24 hours as the Dolphins wait to see if he replaces interim head coach Darren Rizzi. If Weaver is hired, the Dolphins could have a problem filling the position.

Mike McDaniel may struggle to find a quality defensive coordinator if Anthony Weaver leaves

Typically, coaching staffs are filled out during Senior Bowl week, as teams descend on the college game looking to fill coaching holes. That normally doesn't involve finding coordinators, but the Dolphins may not have much of a choice.

One problem McDaniel will be facing is that he will be entering a critical year that could see him being fired after the season. Job security in Miami this year isn't guaranteed beyond 2025.

Continuity is also a concern. Miami's defense made strides last year, and a new DC may want to bring in a different system or want different player types. It will be imperative that McDaniel finds someone who will run a similar style to Weaver's in the hopes of maintaining continuity.

Hopefully, it won't even come to that.

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