The Los Angeles Chargers might want defensive lineman Poona Ford back, but they also could have signed him to an extension before now and did not. To be fair, maybe LA is worried that Fod was a one-year success story but cannot replicate that. If that is their thought, the Chargers should know that Ford, a former Seattle Seahawks defensive tackle, was used in the best way possible.
The key with Ford is never to expect him to be an extremely productive pass rusher. If he got pressures, great, but that should have never been highly anticipated. Instead, he uses his relative lack of height to get underneath the pads of offensive linemen, and then he uses his good combination of speed and strength to stop the run.
This past season, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), Ford ranked as the fifth-best interior defensive lineman in the league. He was third-best against the run. He is only 29 years old and plays a position where he could still be effective for a few more years.
Seattle Seahawks should welcome back Poona Ford if the situation presents itself
This is all brought up because the Seahawks should very well welcome Ford back, assuming the Chargers do not make a sudden push to re-sign him. Maybe the defensive scheme has changed in Seattle since Ford left after the 2022 season, but he still knows the bones of the franchise, including general manager John Schneider.
The Seahawks might also be losing a few defensive linemen. Jarran Reed, who needs to be re-signed, is a free agent. Johnathan Hankins will be 33 years old when the 2025 season begins, and he was not overly effective in 2024. He is also a free agent.
Roy Robertson-Harris is not yet a free agent, but Seattle could save more than $6 million by releasing him before free agency begins. RRH has no guaranteed money on his contract. He was fairly good against the run after being traded to the Seahawks during the season, and he could be restructuring his deal but not get paid nearly as much as he was originally expected to be.
Ford, though, might not have the biggest market value. He was very good in 2024 but not good (and hardly played) with the Buffalo Bills in 2023. For teams to pay him a lot of money, he would have needed some kind of sustained success. He's usually been good against the run in his career, but inconsistent otherwise, and not a great tackler.
Still, as an inexpensive option, he would be a great rotational piece for Mike Macdonald's defense. He is worthy of a two-year deal with an out after one season for Seattle.