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The Kansas City Chiefs need to add to their defensive tackle room, as All-Pro Chris Jones is the only defensive tackle returning for the 2023 season that played meaningful snaps in 2022.
That’s why ESPN’s Matt Miller believes the defending Super Bowl champions should target a former Seattle Seahawks player.
“Next move for the Chiefs should probably be DT. Would LOVE to see Poona Ford in there next to Chris Jones,” Miller wrote on March 17.
Poona Ford a 64-Game Starter With Seahawks
Poona Ford, 27, entered the NFL undrafted out of Texas in 2018. He joined the Seahawks in May of that year and that’s the only team he has played for since.
Over the last five seasons, Ford has accumulated 134 tackles, 105 stops, and 100 total pressures (72 QB hurries, 18 QB hits, 10 sacks) according to PFF. In that timeframe he has played a total of 1,355 snaps over the B-gap, 837 over the A-gap, 625 over the offensive tackle, and 34 along the edge.
During the 2022 regular season, Ford recorded 22 total pressures (14 QB hurries, 5 QB hits, 3 sacks), 22 tackles, and 15 stops while playing 56% of Seattle’s defensive snaps, according to Pro Football Reference.
Based on market value, Ford is projected to land a three-year deal this offseason that pays him $27.8 million, per Spotrac.
As a player that played the same amount of run defense snaps as pass rush snaps last season (321), Ford’s dual-threat presence on the football field would be a helpful asset alongside Chris Jones in Kansas City’s starting lineup. Ford and Jones could play along the interior of the defensive line next to second-year edge rusher George Karlaftis and Charles Omenihu, who signed with the Chiefs to a two-year deal worth up to $20 million this offseason.
As it stands, Kansas City’s defensive tackle room consists of Jones, Tershawn Wharton (re-signed on a one-year, $2 million deal), Danny Shelton, and Daniel Wise.
Twitter Reacts to Poona Ford Being Linked to Chiefs
Twitter users reacted to Poona Ford being linked to the Chiefs.
“I’d like that move. Although, the Jarran Reed move didn’t really materialize. Veach is workin’!” one Twitter user wrote.
“There’s a couple of very good Longhorns in the upcoming draft that are options as well… I watched Poona his entire career at Texas and he’s gotten so much better in the NFL and would be great to have, but Keondre as a draftee is a better talent than Poona was at that time,” another user wrote.
“I’ve seen a lot of Poona Ford talk with the #Chiefs as a cheap DL option and all I’m going to say is I’m good on signing washed up Seahawks DL,” another user wrote.
Chiefs Free Agency Tracker
Here is a list of the players the Chiefs have signed during free agency this offseason along with their contracts according to Over The Cap:
- OT Jawaan Taylor (4 years, $80 million)
- DE Charles Omenihu (2 years, $20 million)
- S Mike Edwards (1 year, $3 million)
- LB Drue Tranquill (1-year deal)
- DT Tershawn Wharton (1 year, $2 million)
- OL Nick Allegretti (1-year deal)
- OL Prince Tea Wanogho (tendered)
- TE Jody Fortson (tendered)
- P Tommy Townsend (tendered)
- QB Shane Buechele (tendered)