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The Seattle Seahawks have struggled to stop opposing running games this season. But to solve the problem, one NFL writer doesn’t propose the Seahawks moving on from their current players.
At least he didn’t argue to let defensive tackle Poona Ford leave in free agency. Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox included Ford on a list of NFL players who have earned a new contract this season and urged the Seahawks to re-sign him.
“At only 27 years old, Seattle Seahawks defensive tackle Poona Ford possesses a rare blend of youth, proven production and systematic experience,” Knox wrote. “The 2018 undrafted free agent out of Texas has played his entire career in Seattle, and the Seahawks should be eager to keep him there.
“While he might be a relative unknown to non-Seahawks fans, he has developed into one of the most dependable interior defenders in the NFL.”
Ford has posted 32 combined tackles, including 6 tackles for loss, 7 quarterback hits, 3.0 sacks and 2 pass defenses in 15 games this season.
Projected Contract Ford Could Receive This Offseason
Knox estimated that the Seahawks could re-sign Ford on a new four-year deal worth approximately $37 million. The Bleacher Report analyst wrote a contract of that length and value for Ford “would make perfect sense” and added “there’s no reason to wait.”
“The Seahawks know that Ford can be an integral part of their defensive front, and they should have no concerns about his fit or his durability.”
The Seahawks signed Ford as a undrafted free agent following the 2018 NFL Draft. He made the team out of training camp and appeared in 11 contests as a rookie in 2018.
Ford became a starter the following season and has been very durable. He’s started at least 14 games each of the last four seasons, including 2022. In 74 NFL games, including 63 starts, he has recorded 178 combined tackles, 7.5 sacks, 28 tackles for loss and 27 quarterback hits. He also has 4 pass defenses, 1 forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
This season, Ford has played 57% of Seattle’s defensive snaps and 16% of the team’s snaps on special teams. In 2021, Ford lined up for a career-high 802 snaps (63%) on defense.
While the Seahawks have to figure out what to do with quarterback Geno Smith, Spotrac projects the Seahawks to have the fifth-most salary cap space in the league with $50.8 million this offseason.
Even if Smith accounted for about $33 million of that space, the Seahawks should have space to sign Ford if they desire to.
Ford’s Past Performances in Run Defense
One of Seattle’s offseason goals should be to fix the team’s run defense. As of December 26, the Seahawks have allowed the second-most rushing yards in the league.
Traditionally, Ford has been a strong run stopper along the interior of Seattle’s defensive line. In his first four seasons, he earned a Pro Football Focus run defense grade of 68.9 (out of 100) or better.
But this season, Ford has posted a run defense grade from PFF of 50.6. That’s, by far, the worst of his career.
PFF player grades aren’t the end all, be all, especially for NFL teams (who probably don’t even use the grading system at all).
But Ford’s PFF grade should work as a reminder that the Seahawks need to evaluate their entire defensive system against the run. After that analysis, then the Seahawks can better determine if Ford will be worth a new four-year contract.
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