Packer Central

Packers Re-Sign Fast, Physical Ford

The Green Bay Packers re-signed safety Rudy Ford, who started a career-high six games in 2022, to a one-year deal.

Bill Huber

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GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers don’t have a lot of defensive linemen but they do have a lot of speedy safeties after re-signing Rudy Ford and adding Tarvarius Moore on Friday.

According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, it’s a one-year deal worth $2.5 million.

Ford was one of several key low-cost signings made by the Packers last season who paid high dividends. Ford was released by the Jacksonville Jaguars at the end of training camp. At the time, Ford through five seasons had one interception, three passes defensed and six starts.

In 17 games for Green Bay, he had three interceptions, three passes defensed and six starts. His two interceptions against the Cowboys were as many as starters Adrian Amos and Darnell Savage had combined for their seasons.

“Rudy’s been doing some good things and, when given opportunities on defense, he’s maximized those,” coach Matt LaFleur said a day after the Dallas game. “He plays with a lot of speed. You can feel his speed out there, and he’s physical, too.”

If football were a track meet, Green Bay’s safeties might win the gold medal. Ford ran his 40 in 4.40 seconds at Auburn’s pro day in 2017, Moore ran his 40 in 4.32 seconds at Southern Mississippi’s pro day in 2018 and Savage ran his 40 in 4.36 seconds at the 2019 Scouting Combine.

Before Ford emerged on defense, he was a key player on special teams as a flier on the punt team. His speed routinely limited the return yardage against punter Pat O’Donnell.

“Rudy’s a very accomplished special teams player in this league,” general manager Brian Gutekunst said after signing Ford. “He’s one of the better gunners in the league. He’s got kind of a speed and physicality that we certainly covet. We’re looking at that situation for a while. Little surprised that he got shaken loose but, when he did, we were kind of ready to get on that. So, hopefully he can get here and get acclimated soon, not only on special teams but on defense, as well.”

When Savage’s play slumped, it was Ford who stepped into the lineup. He started six consecutive games but lost his grip on playing time after a couple breakdowns in the Week 16 game at Miami.

With Amos unsigned, it’s possible Ford and Savage will line up as the No. 1 tandem at safety for the start of the offseason practices. Moore is viewed as a challenger for a starting job, too. Plus, Gutekunst didn’t rule out cornerback Rasul Douglas getting a shot at safety.

With their losses in free agency, the Packers are probably plus-four on compensatory picks, meaning an infusion of late-round talent in 2024. Thus far, they lost defensive tackle Jarran Reed to Seattle, defensive tackle Dean Lowry to the Vikings, receiver Allen Lazard to the Jets and tight end Robert Tonyan to the Bears.

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Bill Huber
BILL HUBER

Bill Huber, who has covered the Green Bay Packers since 2008, is the publisher of Packers On SI, a Sports Illustrated channel. E-mail: packwriter2002@yahoo.com History: Huber took over Packer Central in August 2019. Twitter: https://twitter.com/BillHuberNFL Background: Huber graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, where he played on the football team, in 1995. He worked in newspapers in Reedsburg, Wisconsin Dells and Shawano before working at The Green Bay News-Chronicle and Green Bay Press-Gazette from 1998 through 2008. With The News-Chronicle, he won several awards for his commentaries and page design. In 2008, he took over as editor of Packer Report Magazine, which was founded by Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Nitschke, and PackerReport.com. In 2019, he took over the new Sports Illustrated site Packer Central, which he has grown into one of the largest sites in the Sports Illustrated Media Group.

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