CLEVELAND, Ohio — Browns defensive coordinator Joe Woods worked for Jason Tarver in Oakland and now the tables have been turned.
Tarver, the Browns’ new linebackers coach, was defensive coordinator of the Raiders from 2012-14 under Dennis Allen, and Woods was his defensive backs coach. Now that Woods is in his second stint as a defensive coordinator, he called upon his old colleague to coach the Browns’ linebackers.
“We were able to finally work together in Oakland in 2014 and got along great,” Tarver said in a release provided by the Browns. “We really worked on a deliberate process together that year starting with a whole bunch of new starters and learning each other and turning it into a pretty good defense at the end of the year. Joe’s gone on to great things so that’s been awesome.
“We’re very excited to be here to build our defense. What’s great about Coach (Kevin) Stefanski and Coach Woods is they’re all about the people. It’s about working with people, they’re very deliberate about how they pick people and how they’re putting this together. I’m very excited to be a part of that.”
Stefanski likes that Tarver and Woods have a history together.
“Joe and Jason speak the same language, which I think is important,’’ he said. “There's obviously a mutual level of respect that's built in so I think the previous experience is really helpful because you can hit the ground running.”
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Tarver, 45, returns to the NFL after two seasons as defensive coordinator at Vanderbilt. It marks his 17th NFL season, including 13 years over two stints with the 49ers, including six as outside linebackers coach.
“I love coaching the linebackers because we’re in the middle of everything,” Tarver said. “They call you a linebacker because you’re backed off the line. You’ve got to be on point in the run and pass game with your keys. You are the leaders of the defense and should respond and work that way and that’s what’s exciting. You want to be a linebacker because you’re just involved with everything.
"You’re right there in the middle or slightly on the sides. Run, shed, tackle the guy with the ball. That’s what backers do and that’s some of the most exciting things in football.”
He’s eager to work with the Browns’ young corps which includes 2019 draft picks Mack Wilson and Sione Takitaki.
“There’s a lot of ability and what’s really exciting is getting to play together, believe in each other and play together because there’s ability there,” Tarver said. “When you’re dependent on the other 10 that are on the field and how you work together and then you let that ability go and you really have fun doing it, that’s what is exciting.”
Ben Bloom returning as senior defensive assistant
The Browns are hiring Ben Bloom as a senior defensive assistant, as first reported by Adam Caplan of SiriusXM NFL Radio.
Bloom returns to Cleveland after nine seasons with the Cowboys. He began his career with the Browns in 2009 as a defensive quality control coach, and was promoted to defensive assistant in 2010. He followed former Browns assistant Matt Eberflus to Dallas in 2011, and remained there until Jason Garrett was fired after this season.
He spent the past two seasons as the Cowboys’ linebackers coach.
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Stump Mitchell glad to remain with Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt
Stefanski didn’t have much trouble deciding to keep Stump Mitchell as his run game coordinator and running backs coach.
“There's plenty of people I called to talk about Stump,’’ Stefanski said. “They all said the same thing. Just a good person, very knowledgeable, high-character guy. He brings a level of toughness to the position. I think very highly of him. I think he's a really good teacher. I'm really enjoying getting to know him. I think he brings a different perspective to our staff, which I'm really looking forward to.’’
Under Mitchell, Chubb finished second in 2020 with 1,494 rushing yards, fourth-most in team history and the most by someone other than Jim Brown. Hunt, who took a backseat to Chubb in the run game, caught 37 passes for 285 yards and rushed for 179 yards over the final eight games of the season.
“I learned to appreciate everything about Nick,” Mitchell said. “He just goes out and works and tries to get better and do the things he's not so good at, and tries to be great at the things he's pretty good at. That's a good feeling.”
“Kareem only having him half a year, hopefully we’ll have him the entire year but he’s a special talent as well. It’s a room of talent. We’ve just got to come in and do our part and hopefully we’ll build off what we did last year.”
Browns coordinators meet the press Wednesday
Offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt and defensive coordinator Woods will conduct their introductory press conferences on Wednesday at noon at team headquarters in Berea. Special teams coordinator Mike Priefer, retained from Freddie Kitchens’ staff, will also address the media.
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