Chargers' shrewd free agent signing lands massive take

The Los Angeles Chargers were one of the most surprising teams in the NFL this season, winning 11 games and capturing a playoff berth.
Sure, the Chargers lost in the Wild Card Round, but this was still a major step forward for a team that won just five games in 2023.
Los Angeles had an impressive campaign thanks much in part to its defense, which was among the NFL's best in 2024. While big names like Khalil Mack and Derwin James were two of the primary reasons, the Chargers also received some big production from unsung heroes.
Take Poona Ford, for example.
Ford played in every game and registered 39 tackles, three sacks and five passes defended, proving to be a massive free-agent steal for Los Angeles.
The 29-year-old was so impactful, as a matter of fact, that Dalton Wasserman of Pro Football Focus has named him the Bolts' top free-agent addition of 2024.
"Ford was signed last offseason for less than $2 million and was a revelation this season in Los Angeles. His 85.3 overall grade is the fifth-highest among qualified defensive tackles," Wasserman wrote. "He quickly became a crucial part of the Chargers’ defense, so his retention could be a priority for them this time around."
The University of Texas product spent the first five years of his career with the Seattle Seahawks before joining the Buffalo Bills in 2023.
Ford was productive throughout most of the first six years of his NFL tenure, but there is no question the 2024 season may have been his most prominent campaign to date.
We'll see if the Chargers re-sign him this March.
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