Seattle Seahawks defensive tackle Poona Ford is departing from the team after five seasons.
Seattle Seahawks defensive tackle Poona Ford has had five solid seasons during his time in the Pacific Northwest.
But those days are now officially over.
Ford is headed to the opposite end of the country for the 2023 season, as he'll be signing with the Buffalo Bills, per reports Tuesday from NFL Network. He reportedly took less money with the Bills in order to give himself the best shot at winning a Super Bowl, NFL's Tom Pelissero said.
"One of the top free agents still available, Ford turned down more money elsewhere to try to win a ring in Buffalo," he wrote. "A big (literally) post-draft addition for Sean McDermott's defense."
While the Seahawks lose a familiar face on a defense that has been revamped this offseason, the Bills win big by adding a player of Ford's talent on a bargain. While being consistently available over the past few seasons, he's also totaled 182 tackles, 7.5 sacks, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and four passes defended in 76 career games.
It had been reported in March that the Bills were a team to watch for Ford, as they had reportedly "expressed interest" in the former Texas Longhorn, per reports from Syracuse.com.
"Per source, the Bills have expressed interest in DT Poona Ford," the report said. "... Making the financials work on a player of Ford's caliber could be the tricky part."
The financial part has now been made easier on the Bills since Ford is taking less than what he possibly could've made on a team with a longer shot at contending. The Seahawks will now look to prove that they are just as much a contender as Buffalo, potentially making Ford wish he would've stayed.
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