Robert Saleh, who ran the Niners' defense from 2017 to 2020, is heading back to San Francisco for the same role after a three-plus-year stint as Jets coach.

The San Francisco 49ers welcomed back a familiar face, re-hiring Robert Saleh as their defensive coordinator. However, one former player who once thrived under Saleh’s leadership will have to watch from across the country as the reunion unfolds.

The 49ers and Jets both enjoyed top-five defenses under Saleh. There’s little reason to expect Saleh to stray away from what’s made his defenses elite. There also may not be m