ESPN projects former Texas Longhorn as key addition to watch when NFL free agency begins
Poona Ford wasn't a household name as a Texas Longhorn defensive tackle, but he's parlayed a specific skill set into a long NFL career. Playing at Texas from 2014 through 2017, the 5-foot-11, 305-pounder was an undrafted free-agent who fought his way onto NFL rosters until this point. Few would've expected a player with 136 […]
Poona Ford wasn't a household name as a Texas Longhorn defensive tackle, but he's parlayed a specific skill set into a long NFL career. Playing at Texas from 2014 through 2017, the 5-foot-11, 305-pounder was an undrafted free-agent who fought his way onto NFL rosters until this point.
Few would've expected a player with 136 tackles but only four sacks over four seasons to complete seven years in the NFL. But here we are, and Ford is coming off a great season with the Los Angeles Chargers.
This has led to ESPN nominating Ford as one of the best under-the-radar free-agents to watch when NFL free agency begins next week.
You know who is always good? Ford. He's not an elite pass rusher or truly dominant nose tackle, but his versatile frame allows him to play anywhere from nose to 3-tech, eat some double-teams and win with quickness to create splash plays. Ford was on a near-minimum one-year deal with the Chargers, but he was integral to their defensive approach. He should get a nice pay bump on a team (the Chargers or otherwise) that asks their defensive tackles to switch between one-gapping and two-gapping.
Ford has been around and played well before, but it's been several years since he was a quality player starting for Seattle in 2020 and 2021. His last year in Seattle and only season in Buffalo was far less positive. It's fair to say 2024 with the Chargers was a make-or-break year.
The 29-year-old has rebounded with a career-best year. A capable two-gapper despite short, Ford is also a stellar pass-rusher. His low center of gravity and quick first step can get him in trouble as he leaves rushing lanes in order to chase tackles for loss.
Still, it's been worthwhile since so few interior defenders can be disruptive. He's averaged 25 quarterback pressures in four of his last five years and has 11.5 sacks in his career.
The Chargers are getting great play from Ford. There's no doubt he'll be on a roster in 2025 and beyond, possibly even on a multi-year deal.
