SANTA CLARA — The NFL’s minority hiring incentive remains a pipeline for stocking the 49ers with compensatory third-round draft picks.
The Tennessee Titans’ search for a general manager has led them to hire Ran Carthon, the 49ers’ director of player personnel, ESPN first reported.
His departure would send the 49ers compensatory picks in the third round of the next two drafts.
This is the third year since the NFL enacted its incentive program, yielding the 49ers multiple third-round picks with the hiring of Robert Saleh (2021 New York Jets, head coach), Martin Mayhew (2021 Washington Commanders, general manager), and Mike McDaniel (2022 Miami Dolphins, head coach).
In 2021, the 49ers selected cornerback Ambry Thomas with their compensatory pick. Last year, they had two such picks, and after trading away one to Miami as part of the 2021 package to move up and draft Trey Lance. The 49ers used their other pick on wide receiver Danny Gray to close out the third round.
The 49ers will have three compensatory, third-round picks on April 28, for the combination of losing Saleh/Mayhew, McDaniel and Carthon. The 2024 draft would include one more third-round pick, for Carthon’s exit.
If defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans is hired elsewhere as a head coach — he’s set to interview with the Denver Broncos and the Houston Texans on Thursday and Friday — the 49ers would have a pair of compensatory third-round picks over the 2024 and ’25 draft for his and Carthon’s departures.
Carthon replaces Jon Robinson, who was fired Dec. 6 as the Titans were en route to losing their final seven games in a 7-10 season.
Carthon joined the 49ers’ personnel department in 2017, serving four years as the director of pro personnel and the past two as director of player personnel. Carthon formerly worked in the Falcons’ and the Rams’ front offices after his NFL playing days as an Indianapolis Colts running back. His father, Maurice, played for the New York Giants and Indianapolis Colts before becoming an assistant coach.
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