The Broncos will promote defensive backs coach Joe Woods to defensive coordinator, according to Nicki Jhabvala of the Denver Post (Twitter link). Woods will replace former DC Wade Phillips, who joined the Rams in the same capacity after his contract with the Broncos expired.
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New Denver head coach Vance Joseph has now locked up his playcallers on both sides of the ball, as Woods will join former Chargers head coach Mike McCoy as a Broncos coordinator. Woods had been viewed as the likely choice at DC since the moment Joseph was hired, and was one of only two known candidates for the position. Reggie Herring, Denver’s linebackers coach, was also set to interview for the job, but it’s unclear if he ever actually met with Joseph.
Had Woods not been the presumptive choice for DC, the Broncos and Joseph likely would have attempted to retain Phillips and sign him to a contract extension, per Troy Renck of Denver7 (Twitter links). However, an NFC club requested permission to interview Woods for its DC position, and Denver wasn’t inclined to risk losing him, per Renck.
Woods, 46, has 25 years of coaching experience under his belt, and has been coaching in the NFL ranks since 2004. Since joining the Broncos in 2015, Woods has led Denver to the No. 1 DVOA ranking against the pass in two consecutive seasons, while many of his pupils — including Aqib Talib, Chris Harris, Bradley Roby, and T.J. Ward — have flourished.