Cardinals Acquire OL Cody Ford in Trade With Bills

Arizona sent a fifth-round pick back to Buffalo in the deal.

The Cardinals have acquired offensive lineman Cody Ford in a trade with the Bills in exchange for a fifth-round pick in the 2023 NFL draft, the two teams announced Monday.

Ford, who was selected by Buffalo with the No. 38 pick of the 2019 draft, has spent the last three seasons with the AFC East franchise. The guard has played in 38 total games and has made 29 starts since coming into the NFL, seeing the most action on the field as a rookie when he started in 15 games at right tackle.

However, Ford’s playing time has dipped in recent seasons. He played in seven games during the 2020 campaign due to groin and knee injuries. Last season, he returned to play in 15 games, but made just seven starts, exclusively as a right guard.

“I don’t know anybody who would accept being a backup,” Ford told The Athletic earlier this month, “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.”

Justin Pugh and Will Hernandez are projected to be the starting left and right guards, respectively, for the Cardinals, meaning that the 25-year-old Ford will still need to compete for a spot with his new team. 

Ford, a former Oklahoma standout, will also be reunited with former Sooners teammates Kyler Murray and Marquise Brown in Arizona.

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