Cody

Ford

Ford has played in 50 of a possible 51 regular-season games for the Bengals since first joining the team in 2023, while making 10 starts over that span. The veteran lineman has started just 42 games in his career since being drafted in the second round by the Bills in 2019 and is unlikely to be viewed as anything more than a depth piece at this point in his career. Ford has started nine or fewer games in every year outside of his rookie campaign and has versatility to play as a tackle or along the interior.

Ford appeared in 16 games last season, starting nine and showcasing his versatility when left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. missed time. With Brown and Amarius Mims healthy at the tackle spots, Ford will get a chance to play guard to protect Joe Burrow. The 28-year-old was initially drafted by the Bills, but has spent the past two seasons with the Bengals and has been a stopgap-caliber guard.

The Bengals’ inactives are headlined by LT Orlando Brown Jr., who will miss another game due to a fibula injury. Cody Ford has been starting in Brown’s place, but he will also miss this game due to an illness. Meanwhile, DT Sheldon Rankins is set to miss his fourth straight game due to an illness. The Bengals’ depth in the trenches will be tested Week 15 against the Titans.

Brown suffered a right knee injury and was getting looked at on the sideline at the end of the first half of the Bengals’ Week 8 game against the Eagles. The Bengals ruled Brown as questionable to return, but he did not come out of half time with his helmet. Cody Ford is in at tackle for Brown.

Ford played in all 17 games for the Bengals last season but started just once. The veteran lineman has started 33 of the 66 games he’s appeared in and has the versatility to play both guard and tackle positions. He’ll provide nice depth to a Bengals line that could be on the verge of losing right tackle Jonah Williams in free agency.

Ford has played both inside and outside and should provide depth along the Bengals line. He played 11 games with the Cardinals in 2022 after coming over on a midseason trade from Buffalo. He doesn’t appear to be more than a last-gasp option outside, but it’s possible that he’ll be better on the interior with more practice there. He played both right tackle and left guard for Arizona last year.

Ford has spent the last two years in backup roles with the Cardinals and Buffalo. After adding Chiefs OT Orlando Brown in free agency, Ford would be a depth signing for the Bengals.

Ford was placed on IR on September 10th, after Arizona traded for him in late August. He’ll be depth at worst for the line when he makes it back, and he could perhaps push for a starting job in light of Justin Pugh’s injury.

Ford was the 38th overall pick in the 2019 draft and is entering the final year of his rookie deal. At 6'3/329, Ford has played right tackle and guard in the pros, making 29 starts for the Bills. He just doesn’t fit what they like to do on the offensive line anymore as a big-bodied pile-mover. The Bills signed LG Rodger Saffold and RT David Quessenberry in the offseason before re-upping RG Ryan Bates. In Arizona, Ford is probably an upgrade on RG Will Hernandez.

By Buscaglia’s estimation, Ford has “not had a good camp” and other veterans have shown more versatility while Ford has played only guard. Three years into his NFL career, Ford still hasn’t posted a PFF grade above 53.8 in a season. He’s on the final year of his rookie deal and could be a reclamation project somewhere.