Browns DC Joe Woods eager to work with Myles Garrett and counts Mike Tomlin as his biggest mentor

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Browns defensive coordinator Joe Woods is eager to work with Myles Garrett, welcomes more pass-rushers, and counts Steelers coach Mike Tomlin as his biggest mentor.

“It is an unfortunate situation what happened,’’ he said of Garrett, who’s suspension was lifted last week. “Sometimes the emotions of the game get to you. I am sure it’s something he’s learned from and wants to put behind him. My job is just to coach him. He is very talented.’’

He compared Garrett to another Texas A&M pass rusher in Von Miller, whom he coached in 2017-18 as defensive coordinator of the Broncos. In 2018, Miller’s 14.5 sacks were second-most in his career.

“I see them both as the same type of player so I just look forward to getting him on the field just to see what he can do,’’ Woods said during his introductory press conference on Wednesday.

Of course, Woods had another premier pass-rusher in Bradley Chubb combining for 12 sacks as a rookie with Miller in 2018, and Woods would welcome more edge-rush help here if it comes his way. The Browns have Olivier Vernon, but he was held to 3.5 sacks in his 10 games last season, and is due to make $15.25 million this season. He’ll either be released or asked to take a significant payout.

“It never hurts,’’ said Woods. “We can keep adding as many as they want. I’m cool with that. I think the goal is to add as many talented players to your roster as you can – the right people. We want the right people, good people here that will be good for the organization, good for the team and do it the right way. If they want to add more rushers or more corners, I’m all for it.”

A native of Pittsburgh, Woods considers Steelers coach Mike Tomlin his No. 1 mentor in the league. He coached defensive backs with him in Tampa Bay in 2004-2005 and worked for him in Minnesota in 2006 when he was DB coach and Tomlin was coordinator.

“He has helped me see the game a different way just in terms of how to prepare, and that’s the way I do it,’’ he said. “It takes some time and you have to grind through it. Really, if there is one guy, he is the guy that has really helped me the most.”

Woods, 49, spent eight seasons in Minnesota with Kevin Stefanski, and as the years went by they contemplated a pairing like this.

“We were both starting off and we were kind of broke, and we probably talked about that, wishing,’’ he said. “In recent years, we’ve had conversations. I’d see him down at the combine or other places, and we’ve had conversations that if something like this were to happen and possibly we could get together…I am so excited for Kevin.

“You talk about a guy that has done it the right way, I saw him from when he started out as an assistant to the head coach to where he is today. The one thing with Kevin, he’s very detailed, very organized, obviously very smart and he has great people skills. He can talk to anybody, and he’s going to really demand respect just because of who he is.’’

“It is all about the ball. What we do, what they do on offense and what we do on defense, it is all about the ball. We have to find ways to take it away. (Defensive line coach) Chris Kiffin, D line coach here, he gives all the ball presentations. He did it at San Francisco. It is really just showing examples of ways you can get the ball and how to do it properly with technique. The year before I went out to San Francisco, I think they had seven turnovers. We turned it around last year. I just think we will show them the tape so they know how to do it, and then it is drilled into practice and getting the guys to run to the ball. You can’t create turnovers if you are not running to the ball. If we do all those things, I feel like we can have a good team when it come to that.”

Woods re-iterated that he plans to run a 4-3 because it fits the personnel, including Garrett as a down lineman.

“I’ve coached in both systems – the 3-4 when I was with Denver and the 4-3 really, for most of my career – but the personnel is set up to run a 4-3,’’ he said. “I think we have the right personnel. I think it is a natural fit. For me, it is very easy to do.”

His Broncos defense finished third in the NFL in 2017 and joined the Vikings as the only two teams to rank in the top five in run defense and pass defense that season. Last season, as defensive backs coach and pass game coordinator for the 49ers, his unit ranked No. 1 in pass defense with 169.2 yard per game, the lowest total in the NFL since 2009.

The 49ers also led the NFL with 21 forced fumbles and finished sixth in the NFL with 27 takeaways. The Browns were 19th with 20 takeaways, but Woods plans to increase that number.

“It’s all about the ball,’’ he said. “We have to find ways to take it away. (Defensive line coach) Chris Kiffin, D line coach here, he gives all the ball presentations. He did it at San Francisco. It is really just showing examples of ways you can get the ball and how to do it properly with technique. The year before I went out to San Francisco, I think they had seven turnovers. We turned it around last year. …You can’t create turnovers if you’re not running to the ball.’’

He said linebacker Joe Schobert, a pending free agent, is a good player, and trusts that GM Andrew Berry will make the right decision on whether or not to re-sign him. He’s also eager to work with young linebackers such as Mack Wilson.

“I know he’s going to be here so he was not one of the guys that I wanted to look at right away, but I do believe from talking to our linebackers coach Jason Tarver that he feels like he is a talented player that can do what we need him to do,’’ he said.

Despite hailing from Pittsburgh, he has at least 50 family members in Cleveland and Akron.

"When it comes to gameday, we are going to have to have a plan (laughter),'' he said. "I’m going to put my wife in charge of it. I have a lot of family, and that’s why I’m very excited, as well, to be here.”

Woods also received high praise from special teams coordinator Mike Priefer, who worked with him in Minnesota.

“On Saturday mornings after the special teams meetings was over, I would go into Joe’s DB room and just listen to his meeting for about 15-20 minutes,’’ he said. “What I like is I like watching good coaches teach, and I learn from that. It makes me a better coach. It makes me a better teacher. I knew Joe was a great teacher right from the get go. I think he will do a phenomenal job not only with our DBs and their group but the entire defense.’’

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