Saints Bring on Joe Woods as Defensive Coordinator

The Saints are bringing on Joe Woods as their defensive coordinator, according to a Monday morning report by ESPN.

John Hendrix | Feb 6, 2023

Saints Bring on Joe Woods as Defensive Coordinator /

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Joe Woods is expected to become the new defensive coordinator for the Saints, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. He interviewed with the team recently. Woods was the Raiders defensive backs coach under Dennis Allen in 2014, and has a Super Bowl ring under his belt from his time with the Broncos.

New Orleans parted ways with Kris Richard last week, their only dismissal other than Dan Roushar. The team also lost Ryan Nielsen to the Falcons. The only other addition that's been reported is bringing on Todd Grantham as a defensive assistant, but his exact role is unknown. He could end up being the team's defensive line coach. The Saints still have an opening at the tight end position on Allen's coaching staff.

There's a lot of uneasy feelings for the New Orleans defense right now, but it's important to remember that Allen does call the plays. They have major holes to address in the offseason, and losing Richard and Nielsen certainly hurt a lot. Woods and Grantham will have a lot to live up to. The team cannot afford to regress in an area that has simply been a strong suit over the past several years.

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Published Feb 6, 2023

JOHN HENDRIX

I officially started covering the New Orleans Saints & other NFL topics in 2011. My work has been featured on various outlets over the years. I worked closely with Skyhorse Publishing in Fall 2018 to update the book, Tales From the New Orleans Saints Sidelines, which filled in all Saints material from the 2013-2017 seasons. Prior to joining Saints News Network, I served as the Managing Editor of SB Nation's Canal Street Chronicles for 3.5 years, and before that with FanSided's Who Dat Dish as the Managing Editor for several years. I have also had experiences of being a freelance Saints reporter for The Sun Herald in Biloxi, MS and a contributing writer for WDSU, a local NBC TV station in New Orleans. I have appeared on a vast amount of TV and Radio shows, both nationally and locally. For tips, comments, or suggestions, please contact me at johnhendrix@saintsnews.net