The Seattle Seahawks' real focus this offseason will be on rebuilding its offense. The team traded quarterback Geno Smith, and Sam Darnold was reportedly signed to take his place. The defense is returning most of its key players from 2024, but one former player could have been brought back to improve the defensive line.
Poona Ford has been away for two seasons from Seattle. His 2023 season with the Buffalo Bills was a failure, but he was fantastic last year with the Los Angeles Chargers. He is short but strong enough and quick enough to be greatly disruptive as a run-stopper and sneaky good at rushing opposing passers.
He is also the kind of rotational piece that Seattle could use after the team released defensive lineman Dre'Mont Jones as well as veteran Roy Robertson-Harris. Jones is the player Ford has quickly been an upgrade with, however. Jones failed to be good against the run and was an inconsistent pass-rusher. The team tried to find him a home in one position, but he was not consistent.
Former Seattle Seahawks defensive lineman Poona Ford lands with the Los Angeles Rams
With Ford, you know what you are going to get, and that is a good thing. The issue with whom he signed with, though, is a problem for the Seahawks. While Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay is viewed as an offensive guru, he also understands that defense wins championships. Every year, the Rams are excellent defensively, and no matter how many changes LA makes, they are still a playoff contender.
The fit for Ford is that the Rams know how to use seemingly undersized interior defensive linemen in their scheme. Aaron Donald turned out to be one of the best defensive players in the history of the NFL, and while Ford is not Donald, the chances that Ford is successful with the Rams are high.
This also means he will face Seattle twice a year. He might not feel extra-motivated to play well against the Seahawks as Seattle is the team that stuck with him after he was an undrafted free agent in 2018. Any ahtlete might feel slighted by any team that gives up on them, however they see that, and Ford could think Seattle gave up when they let him go after the 2022 season.
The greatest issue is that Ford would have been a good fit in head coach Mike Macdonald's 3-4 scheme. He would have easily replaced Jones and Robertson-Harris and at not much of a cost. His deal was for three years and a max of $30 million, with $17 million guaranteed. Much of his contract is incentive-laden. The Seahawks had the money to make the same deal, and they should have.
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