Poona Ford

Career StatsC-

Year	Team	GP	Sacks	Tkl	TFL
Career		118	13.5	277	42
2025		17	2.0	47	7.5
2024		17	3.0	39	8.5
2023		8

Season	Team	GP	Tkl	Sacks	INT	PD	Grade
2025		17	47	2.0	0	—	C- C- Below average
2024		17	39	3.0	1	—	C- C- Below average
2023		8	9	1.0	0	—	F F Bottom 5%
2022		17	35	3.0	0	—	D- D- Bottom 12%
2021		17	53	2.0	0	—	C C Around average
2020		16	40	2.0	0	—	D D Bottom 20%
2019		15	32	0.5	0	—	D- D- Bottom 12%
2018		11	22	0.0	0	—	D D Bottom 20%

Grades reflect the player's performance in each season. Header grade shows the current season.

Current Contract

Contract Value Index (CVI)

The Rams secured solid value by locking up Poona Ford at $9.2M AAV, landing what amounts to a fair deal with slight upside for a proven interior defender. Ford's production profile as a serviceable starter aligns well with this contract tier — he's not going to dominate opposing offensive lines, but he's a reliable run-stuffer who can contribute as a rotational piece in LA's defensive front. At 29, Ford is entering his prime years for a defensive tackle, meaning the Rams should get his best football over the majority of this three-year commitment. The $15.6M guaranteed represents reasonable downside protection while giving LA flexibility to move on after two seasons if needed. This B- CVI reflects smart roster building — Ford isn't flashy, but he's exactly the type of steady veteran presence that championship defenses are built around, and the Rams paid appropriately for that reliability rather than chasing a more expensive but unproven option.

Performance Analysis

Poona Ford is an 8-year veteran nose tackle who has carved out a reliable role as a run-stuffing interior presence across 118 career games. Now with the Los Angeles Rams, Ford carries a C- grade this season — consistent with his C- in 2024 and a meaningful recovery from an F in 2023. He profiles as a depth contributor rather than a difference-maker at this stage of his career. Ford's tackle production remains a genuine strength, logging 2.76 tackles per game against an NFL average of 2.30, reflecting his consistent gap discipline. His tackles-for-loss rate of 0.44 per game also clears the league average of 0.35, showing he still generates some backfield disruption. However, his pass-rush impact is limited — just 0.12 sacks per game compared to the NFL average of 0.21 and an elite benchmark of 0.47 — making him largely a two-down player. Ford's trajectory suggests a player whose ceiling is firmly defined as a rotational run-stopper, unlikely to recapture pass-rush relevance at age 30. The bounce-back from 2023's F grade to back-to-back C- seasons indicates stabilization, not resurgence. If his sack rate trends closer to the league average in 2026, his overall value could tick upward — but his role will remain situational.

Current Sentiment

Poona Ford enters the 2026 season as a veteran interior presence on the Los Angeles Rams defensive line, carrying eight years of NFL experience and a modest but serviceable statistical profile highlighted by 13.5 career sacks. His $9.2 million annual salary places him in a tier where production expectations are real, and recent PFF-driven analysis appears to have validated some fan-level concerns about his on-field impact, creating a layer of skepticism in the analytical community. On the positive side, at least one prominent outlet has framed the Rams' decision to sign Ford as a continuing organizational win, suggesting his locker room presence and run-stopping reliability still carry weight in the eyes of some evaluators. An injury designation in Week 13 adds a minor durability footnote to his profile, though a single questionable tag is far from alarming for a veteran of his tenure. Overall, Ford's media perception heading into 2026 is that of a functional, if scrutinized, depth piece — a player whose value is debated rather than celebrated, but whose experience keeps him relevant in the Rams' defensive rotation conversation.