Has Bills OL Cody Ford finally stopped sliding? ‘He’s had a phenomenal camp’

[Buddy]

Has Bills OL Cody Ford finally stopped sliding? ‘He’s had a phenomenal camp’

View the full article

[HipKat]

Cody Ford’s position keeps shifting within the sands of the Buffalo Bills’ offensive line.

Franchise left tackle Dion Dawkins agreed that Ford was “supposed to be cemented in” when the Bills drafted him 38th overall three years ago. But Ford has failed to become part of their foundation.

The plan was for Ford to start right away as Buffalo’s right tackle, a bookend with Dawkins, protecting young quarterback Josh Allen from the NFL’s most dangerous edge rushers.

Ford played backup left guard in Saturday’s preseason game against the Denver Broncos, not an ideal location for a second-round draft pick. But perhaps he’s finally gaining traction.

“Cody had a hell of a day,” Dawkins said, “pancake after pancake after pancake, no pressures.”

Ford entered when the second quarter began and played until halftime. Over those 28 snaps, the Bills amassed 200 yards and scored three touchdowns. They averaged 7.8 yards on eight carries and didn’t surrender a sack.

At his Highmark Stadium locker stall following Buffalo’s 42-14 victory, Ford reflected on what appears to have been a meaningful summer so far.

“I don’t know anybody who would accept being a backup,” Ford said in his first interview in nearly a year, “but at the end of the day, as competitors, we need to check ourselves before we look at anything else.

“I’d love to not be in the position that I’m in, but at the same time, I haven’t done what I’ve needed to do to be where I want to be.”

Ford did start at right tackle his rookie season, but hasn’t played there since. He played left and right guard in 2020, when groin and knee injuries limited him to seven games.

Last year, he was used exclusively at right guard, playing 15 games but starting only seven. Bills coach Sean McDermott made him a healthy scratch in Week 14 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Buffalo banked other guards this offseason. Pro Bowl left guard Rodger Saffold was signed to a $6.25 million contract for this year, then the Bills matched the Chicago Bears’ offer sheet to right guard Ryan Bates and locked him up for four years and $17 million.

You had to wonder if Ford was a candidate to not make the 53-man roster. Even while Saffold recovered from rib injuries suffered in a car accident right before training camp, Ford remained entrenched with the backups.

There still are no guarantees for Ford, but he has been trending upward.

“Cody is a fighter,” Dawkins said. “Last year, he was upset he wasn’t playing. This year, he’s taking it as a reality check and is handling it the right way.

“What we want to see is him respecting the challenge and not complaining about it. As long as he’s not pouting and keeping high spirits, as long as he puts his best work on film, he understands what needs to be done.”

Ford admitted the attitude adjustment was necessary and overdue.

He and Dawkins cited new offensive line coach Aaron Kromer has been a significant factor. Asked about the difference between Kromer and previous assistant Bobby Johnson, Ford responded with eight seconds of silence. The corners of his lips curled upward as he mulled his reply.

“He’s doing a phenomenal job,” Ford said of Kromer. “I don’t know what that means, coming from me. But the way we’ve been coached and the techniques that we’ve learned is why I say there’s been so much improvement.”

Dawkins added it’s no knock on Johnson that Kromer has been able to light a fire. Their criticisms might have been the same, but a second voice seems to have impacted Ford’s perspective.

“(Kromer) doesn’t sugarcoat anything,” Dawkins said. “He’ll tell him exactly what he doesn’t want to hear. He’ll say, ‘This is fucking horrible,’ or, ‘You think that you’re doing it right, but you’re not.’

“Cody’s heard that before, but now it’s from a different face. So now it’s not, ‘Oh, that’s Bobby being Bobby.’ Now you have two people saying it, so now you’re the one that’s wrong and not them.”

Ford claimed he feels like a completely different player now than the one who took the field on the first day of training camp just a month ago. He expressed disappointment at being the second-string left guard, but called it “a starting point” and no indication of what his role will be by the end of the season.

McDermott sure liked what he saw from Ford on Saturday.

“He’s done a really good job,” McDermott said. “You saw him finishing off blocks in a physical manner today. That stood out to me. He’s had a phenomenal training camp to this point.”

Phenomenal isn’t an adjective that’s often been used about Ford since the Bills drafted him. But as the sands pass through the hourglass in his fourth NFL season, maybe he has found his footing.

“I’m proud of him,” Dawkins said. “It’s easy when things are going wrong in this league to shut it down and go into a dark place.

“He’s not there. He’s working.”

[bcw]

I saw some good clips from yesterday's game of Ford pan caking someone and making a nice seal off block.

Hopefully Kromer is making a difference but it might been too late for Ford. He isn't versitile, which this staff loves in their linemen, and it doesn't look like he has lost any weight even though it was clear from day 1 he wasn't mobile enough and was getting smoked by pass rushers from the minute he entered the NFL.

[rcas0308]

6 minutes ago, bcw said:

I saw some good clips from yesterday's game of Ford pan caking someone and making a nice seal off block.

Hopefully Kromer is making a difference but it might been too late for Ford. He isn't versitile, which this staff loves in their linemen, and it doesn't look like he has lost any weight even though it was clear from day 1 he wasn't mobile enough and was getting smoked by pass rushers from the minute he entered the NFL.

He's as versatile as any. He played right tackle too. Whether he is good enough is a different matter. Think he could be a solid backup if he keeps this up, he looked good last week too.

[bcw]

19 minutes ago, rcas0308 said:

He's as versatile as any. He played right tackle too. Whether he is good enough is a different matter. Think he could be a solid backup if he keeps this up, he looked good last week too.

It would be nice if he could back up RT but I read earlier that he has been used strictly at guard in training camp, which surprised me.

[rcas0308]

10 minutes ago, bcw said:

It would be nice if he could back up RT but I read earlier that he has been used strictly at guard in training camp, which surprised me.

The reason is they have 3 guys already that can play right tackle. Only one solid back up inside with Mancz. They are looking for another and hoping Ford is the guy. Quessenberry is another option but he may be starting right Tackle. If that's the case Ford should make the team. 

[Crazy Legs]

I was surprised when I heard McDermott say this during his presser:

“He’s done a really good job,” McDermott said. “You saw him finishing off blocks in a physical manner today. That stood out to me. He’s had a phenomenal training camp to this point.”

I have to say I might have been way wrong about how the Offensive Line would pan out this summer.  I thought both Bobby Hart and Cody Ford had no shot at sticking this year.

Now it is looking like both Bobby Hart and Cody might make the 53 man.

Ideally I would like to see Cody traded for a late round pick, I want to make room for someone younger to develop....but that is just me.

 

[Crazy Legs]

13 minutes ago, rcas0308 said:

The reason is they have 3 guys already that can play right tackle. Only one solid back up inside with Mancz. They are looking for another and hoping Ford is the guy. Quessenberry is another option but he may be starting right Tackle. If that's the case Ford should make the team. 

It is interesting how the OLine is sorting out this summer.

Initially I thought Quessenberry was a throw away signing in the off season, but he looks to be a lock for the final 10 Olinemen. 

I also thought Bobby Hart would be laughed off the field by the end of training camp, but he appears to be in the mix.

And what can we say about Cody Ford.  At times he has flat out stunk over the last 3+ years.   But he has a shot at sticking.

Conversely Spencer Brown and Tommy Doyle have been both injured so they have been out of the rotation.

Lastly, I thought OT Luke Tenuta, Virginia Tech was way too raw to get much playing time, but he has played a ton the last two weeks.

It is interesting.

[George]

Never buy a 24 year old Ford 

[cba fan]

When Beane and McD both start raving about a previous disappointing high drafted vets having a stellar camp......it has all the earmarkings of a trade looming. 

I was right....lol

Ford will probably go on to have a pro bowl career elsewhere now.