New Orleans Saints Expected to Name Joe Woods as New DC

The New Orleans Saints have their new defensive coordinator in place. According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, the team will name former Cleveland Browns DC Joe Woods to the same position.

The New Orleans #Saints are expected to name Joe Woods their defensive coordinator, per sources. Woods, the Cleveland Browns DC from 2020-22, reunites with Dennis Allen from their Oakland Raiders days.
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) February 6, 2023

Woods was fired from the Cleveland Browns following a 2022 season in which his defense finished 20th in points scored, 14th in yards allowed, and 20th in takeaways. He will reunite with his former boss and current Saints head coach Dennis Allen: Woods worked as defensive backs coach under Allen on the Oakland Raiders in 2014.

Woods took over as DC for the Browns in 2020. He led them to a top-five finish in yards allowed in 2021, but the Browns finished outside the top 20 in points allowed in his two other seasons in charge. He also served as defensive coordinator for the Denver Broncos to middling results from 2017 to 2018: they finished third in yards allowed and 22nd in points allowed in 2017 and 22nd in yards allowed and 13th in points allowed in 2018.

Woods doesn't have a particularly impressive resume as a defensive coordinator; his experience and trust with Allen likely earned him the Saints job. Their defense is already a strong suit (ninth in points allowed and fifth in yards allowed in 2022), and Allen is a defensive-minded coach, so Woods won't need to make drastic or sweeping changes. His hiring is unlikely to move the needle very much for the franchise.