SANTA CLARA -- The 49ers reportedly will lose defensive backs coach Joe Woods at the end of their playoff run.
Joe Woods “is on track” to become the defensive coordinator of the Cleveland Browns under new coach Kevin Stefanski, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Sunday morning.
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Woods signed a one-year contract with the 49ers last year to become defensive backs coach and passing game coordinator under defensive coordinator Robert Saleh. The Browns had not asked the 49ers for permission to hire Woods, a source told NBC Sports Bay Area, because Woods is free to leave the 49ers at the end of the season when his contract expires without receiving permission from coach Kyle Shanahan.
[RELATED: Report: Browns targeting 49ers assistants as coordinators]
Under Woods, the 49ers had the NFL’s No. 1 ranked pass defense, allowing just 169.2 yards passing per game. It was the best pass defense in the league since 2009, when the New York Jets allowed 153.7.
Woods, 49, who has 16 years of NFL coaching experience, was hired last year to replace Jeff Hafley, who became Ohio State’s defensive coordinator. Hafley is now the head coach at Boston College. Woods spent the past two seasons as the Denver Broncos' defensive coordinator.
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Programming note: NBC Sports Bay Area feeds your hunger for 49ers playoff coverage at 2:30 p.m. Sunday for “49ers Pregame Live,” with Laura Britt, Jeff Garcia, Donte Whitner, Ian Williams and Grant Liffmann previewing the NFC Championship Game against the Packers. That same crew will have all the postgame reaction on “49ers Postgame Live,” starting at approximately 6:30 p.m.