Chip Kelly may hold off on that yearlong sabbatical a bit longer.
Now that the Browns have hired Bengals offensive coordinator Hue Jackson, the 49ers have one less candidate to choose from for their head coaching vacancy.
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The team has talked to former Giants coach Tom Coughlin, former Broncos and Redskins coach Mike Shanahan, Browns offensive coordinator John DeFilippo, Buccaneers offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter and Bills running backs coach Anthony Lynn, along with Kelly, according to The Sacramento Bee.
The list of candidates is lacking a "wow" factor, and Kelly remains the name with the biggest potential for what he may be able to bring out in embattled quarterback Colin Kaepernick. Citing a tweet from a local radio broadcaster, SB Nation said the 49ers still were considering the former Eagles coach.
Heard from multiple people today Chip Kelly is still in the mix for the #49ers. It's not dead like I once thought
— John Middlekauff (@JohnMiddlekauff) January 13, 2016
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Though Blaine Gabbert filled in with a yeoman's performance when he took over for a more-injured-than-thought-to-be-believed Kaepernick at midseason, he did not give the team an indication that he was a long-term answer.
For all of Kaepernick's recent struggles, he's still the quarterback who drove San Francisco to a Super Bowl XLVII appearance and the NFC Championship Game the following season. There is still speculation that with the right coach, Kaepernick might be able to recapture his early career magic.
For all of Kelly's apparent mistakes with the Eagles' roster, he did show that trading for Sam Bradford was a pretty good move. Bradford had a solid second half of the season once he got comfortable with Kelly's system.
"The 49ers went into their coaching search seeking someone who could come in and instantly upgrade the 49ers' offense," The Sacramento Bee reported. "That's Chip Kelly, who went 10-6 in his first two seasons in Philadelphia and left defensive opponents -- as well as his own team -- gasping for breath. The 49ers are in a division with at least two powerhouses that are defined by their charismatic head coaches. Kelly has the ego, ambition and smarts to match. He also is believed to covet Colin Kaepernick. A head coach who can lift Kaepernick after his 2015 season would make everyone look like a genius."
As long as Kelly isn't making personnel decision, he looks to be the strongest candidate on paper for the 49ers.
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