San Francisco defensive coordinator Robert Saleh was a runner-up for the Browns head coaching job, but the 49ers still are in line to lose one of their defensive coaches to Cleveland.
Niners defensive backs/run-game coordinator Joe Woods is on track to become the Browns’ new defensive coordinator whenever San Francisco’s season ends if the sides can agree to contract terms at the appropriate time, league sources tell ESPN.
Woods and new Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski spent years working together in Minnesota, where Woods was a Vikings assistant coach from 2006 to 2013. Stefanski would like to turn over his defense to Woods if the sides can get a deal done, but Woods doesn’t want to think about that until after the 49ers’ season ends.
Woods, 49, has coached in the NFL for the past 16 years, working for five different teams. He joined the 49ers in 2019 after spending the previous four seasons with the Broncos, including two (2017 and 2018) as Denver’s defensive coordinator.