Cleveland Browns: Is Joe Woods to blame for slow start on defense?
By John Suchan
![Cleveland Browns defensive coordinator Joe Woods works with cornerbacks during an NFL football practice at the team's training facility, Wednesday, June 16, 2021, in Berea, Ohio. [Jeff Lange / Akron Beacon Journal]Browns 6](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_1080,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape%2Fcover%2Fsport%2Fhttps-3A-2F-2Fdawgpounddaily-com-2Fwp-content-2Fuploads-2Fimagn-images-2F2017-2F07-2F16269834-850x560-2f780141a491d5721859e5c2910c3b6f77db687b3ae68e18c1f16af31776fd4c.jpg "Cleveland Browns defensive coordinator Joe Woods works with cornerbacks during an NFL football practice at the team's training facility, Wednesday, June 16, 2021, in Berea, Ohio. [Jeff Lange / Akron Beacon Journal]Browns 6")
Can Joe Woods be blamed for all the failures of the Cleveland Browns defense?
Joe Woods is a popular name amongst us Cleveland Browns faithful these days. He was brought to Cleveland last year along with Browns coach Kevin Stefanski to serve as the defensive coordinator after making his rounds in the coaching world.
His last stint was with the San Francisco 49ers, where he coached the defensive backs in 2019 when the 49ers blew the lead in the Super Bowl to the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Browns haven’t made it to a Super Bowl yet. They are considered by many to be contenders for the Vince Lombardi Trophy this year. Part of that reason for the optimism this season is because of the supposed upgrades on the defensive side of the ball.
Cleveland has acquired several new players through free agency and the NFL draft. Those players include safety John Johnson III, cornerback Troy Hill, linebacker Anthony Walker, and drafted players, Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah and cornerback Greg Newsome II.
While on paper this new group of defenders seemed solid and an improvement from previous seasons, so far, the jury is still out on them and the group in general.
Browns fans are starting to chatter about coach Woods and exactly what we have now out there on the field on Sundays.
Is it fair to be asking if coach Woods knows what he’s doing? And is it fair to say that he needs to show this defense is better than what we’ve watched the last two weeks?
There are many questions that need to be answered and if they’re not very soon then the Browns goal of a Super Bowl could be in jeopardy.