Rams’ $27 Million ‘Missing Piece’ Acquisition Draws Rave Reviews

The Los Angeles Rams’ offseason free-agent additions have drawn plenty of attention, but one move in particular has resonated with players and coaches alike: the three-year, $27.6 million signing of veteran defensive tackle Poona Ford. The 29-year-old, standing at 5’11” and 310 pounds, brings an impressive combination of power, quickness, and consistency to a defensive front looking to bolster both its run-stopping ability and interior pass rush.

Rams Teammates Heap Praise on Poona Ford’s Arrival

Ford’s track record speaks for itself. Since entering the league in 2018 with the Seattle Seahawks, he has accumulated 230 total tackles, 11.5 sacks, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, and 97 assists. Now the Rams are betting on him to provide the kind of reliability and disruption that could take their defensive line to the next level.

Defensive tackle Braden Fiske was quick to highlight Ford’s potential impact:

“He’s twitchy and he gets moving in the pass. I think he could be a key piece and maybe even the missing piece that we needed.”

Fiske’s comment echoes the broader sentiment in the Rams’ locker room, that Ford is more than just a rotational depth signing. His explosiveness off the snap and ability to penetrate gaps could unlock opportunities for the rest of the front seven.

Offensive lineman Kevin Dotson, who’s seen his fair share of defensive tackles up close, described the veteran as the complete interior defender.

“He’s nice, he’s strong, lower to the ground but he still has twitch. He’s still heavy so it’s a great combination of what you really want from a D-tackle. Great in the run block, surprisingly quick in the pass so it’s like, he has everything.”

Dotson’s observation underscores Ford’s rare blend of leverage, mass, and agility. And it’s not just his teammates who have taken notice.

Sean McVay Sees a “Complete Player” With Elite Consistency

Head coach Sean McVay, who has faced Ford multiple times over the years, knows firsthand the kind of challenge the defensive tackle can pose. For McVay, Ford’s ability to be a force in all situations, not just obvious run downs, is what sets him apart.

“Well, I think the first thing is he is a complete player. He’s obviously excellent on the early downs. You know the twitch, the ability to be able to work edges, use his leverage to his advantage,” McVay said. “He’s a guy that we’re very familiar with in just going against him when he was in Seattle in the earlier parts of his career. Went to Buffalo for that year and then last year. I mean you watch the tape and it’s hard to find a play that he’s not productive on.”

McVay also praised Ford’s snap-to-snap dependability, calling it a critical trait for long-term success in the NFL:

“You talk about how important that is, to be consistent snap in and snap out, and he’s been that so far and certainly isn’t limited to the early downs but we’re really fortunate we were able to get him and I’m glad he’s with us.”

The advanced metrics further support the optimism. Among qualified defensive linemen last season, Ford earned one of the best Pro Football Focus grades in the league, an elite 85.1 overall mark, ranking 5th out of 219. His 71.1 pass rush grade placed him 32nd, while his 78.8 run defense grade was good for 6th overall.

Those numbers reflect the same balance of skills that McVay, Fiske, and Dotson have praised. Ford isn’t just good at one aspect of defensive line play; he’s effective across the board.

If the early praise is any indication, Poona Ford’s arrival might indeed be the “missing piece” that pushes the Rams’ defense to new heights.