Report: Foerster out as 49ers' line coach, leaves for Redskins

Chris Foerster is out as 49ers offensive line coach, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

New Washington Redskins coach Mike Shanahan has hired Foerster as offensive line coach, according to the report. The 49ers confirmed this morning they granted permission for Foerster to interview with the Redskins, thus allowing him to leave the organization.

The 49ers have stated all along that Foerster would return as line coach. And coach Mike Singletary said earlier this week that there would be no changes to the coaching staff – unless someone decided to leave.

But Singletary also said that at least one team has asked for permission to interview a 49ers assistant. Because Foerster was under contract to the 49ers, the club could have denied permission for him to speak to another team. (The only time in which a team must grant permission is when an assistant coach is requested to interview for a head-coaching job.)

Foerster, in essence, was Singletary’s first hire as head coach. When Singletary took over as coach for Mike Nolan in the middle of the 2008 season, the 49ers fired offensive line coach George Warhop and replaced him with Foerster, whom had been hired to the staff as a co-offensive line coach.

Now, Singletary must find a replacement at offensive line coach. Former 49ers assistant Mike Solari, who coached Seattle‘s offensive line the past two seasons after spending the previous 11 years with the Kansas City Chiefs, would have to be considered a top candidate. Solari spent four of those seasons on the Chiefs’ staff with 49ers offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye. Prior to that, Solari was 49ers tight ends coach/assistant offensive line from 1992 to ’96 under George Seifert.

Singletary might also consider 49ers’ tight ends coach Pete Hoener for the position. Hoener coached offensive line with the Bears (2004) and Cardinals (2003).

* * *