Expectations were high for offensive lineman Cody Ford when he was drafted in the second round in 2019. After three seasons in Buffalo, however, his level of play has made this year’s training camp one of great importance for his future either with the Buffalo Bills or elsewhere in the league.
The Oklahoma product started 15 games at right tackle as a rookie – the position he was widely expected to play throughout his NFL tenure. He surrendered seven sacks en route to a poor PFF grade, though, and was moved inside to guard the following year. In a campaign cut short by injury, he didn’t show the level of improvement many hoped to see.
In 2021, Ford registered a career-low snap percentage of 47 percent and only started seven of the 15 contests he appeared in. He ended the season with his lowest PFF grade to date (46.7) and is now strictly viewed as an interior lineman. With one year remaining on his contract, the 25-year-old thus entered the summer with plenty to prove.
However, Ford “has not had a good camp,” per Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic. The 6-foot-3, 329-pounder’s struggles in practice have reached the point where Buscaglia writes that it “wouldn’t be a surprise” if Ford found himself being traded or cut at the end of August. Other lineman such as David Quessenberry, Greg Mancz and Bobby Hart have outperformed him so far, so preseason performances could go a long way to determining his future.
Moving on from a high draft pick so early in his career would be a disappointing development for the Bills, but the possibility of doing so will be a key storyline to watch through the remainder of the offseason.
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