The Los Angeles Chargers on on Friday signed defensive lineman Poona Ford.
Here are five things to know about Ford:
1. Coming from Buffalo
The Bolts get a big presence along the interior with Ford.
The 28-year-old defensive lineman spent 2023 on the Bills, playing in eight games, notching 1.0 sack and a tackle for loss.
2. Former UDFA
Ford wasn't draft coming out of college in 2018, but it took him no time to make an impression.
He signed with the Seahawks coming out of Texas and played well enough in the preseason to make the team's initial 53-man roster. The defensive lineman would suit up for 11 games (one start) during his rookie season and be a contributor clogging up the middle of the line.
Ford would become a regular in Seattle, spending five seasons and playing in 76 games (64 starts) from 2018 to 2022 and notching 181 total tackles.
The Los Angeles Chargers today signed defensive lineman Poona Ford.
Seattle Seahawks defensive end L.J. Collier (91) celebrates after a sack during an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams, Sunday, Nov. 15, 2020, in Inglewood, Calif. (Ben Liebenberg via AP)
Seattle Seahawks defensive tackle Poona Ford (97) rushes the quarterback during an NFL football game against the Washington Football Team, Sunday, Dec. 20, 2020, in Landover, Md. (AP Photo/Mark Tenally)
Seattle Seahawks defensive tackle Poona Ford in action against the Los Angeles Rams during the first half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game, Saturday, Jan. 9, 2021, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Scott Eklund)
Seattle Seahawks defensive lineman Poona Ford is pictured during an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons, Sunday, Sept. 25, 2022, in Seattle. The Falcons won 27-23. (AP Photo/Stephen Brashear)
Arizona Cardinals offensive tackle Kelvin Beachum (68) and Seattle Seahawks defensive tackle Poona Ford (97) during an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 16, 2022, in Seattle, WA. The Seahawks defeated the Cardinals 19-9. (AP Photo/Ben VanHouten)
Seattle Seahawks defensive tackle Poona Ford (97) looks on before an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams, Sunday, Dec. 4, 2022, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)
Carolina Panthers running back D'Onta Foreman (33) runs with the ball as Seattle Seahawks defensive tackle Poona Ford (97) runs after him during an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 11, 2022, in Seattle, WA. The Panthers defeated the Seahawks 30-24. (AP Photo/Ben VanHouten)
Seattle Seahawks defensive tackle Poona Ford (97) gets set before a play during an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs Saturday, Dec. 24, 2022, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Peter Aiken)
Seattle Seahawks defensive tackle Poona Ford (97) is introduced before an NFL football game against the New York Jets, Sunday, Jan. 1, 2023, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)
Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Poona Ford (98) splits through the block of New York Giants guard Mark Glowinski (64) during an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 15, 2023, in Orchard Park, NY. (AP Photo/Matt Durisko)
Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Poona Ford (98) pursues Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) in the second half of an NFL football game, Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)
Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Poona Ford (98) in action during an NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023, in Orchard Park, N.Y. The Bills defeated the Buccaneers 24-18. (AP Photo/Gary McCullough)
Los Angeles Chargers running back Austin Ekeler (30) is tackled by Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Poona Ford (98) during the second half of an NFL football game Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Poona Ford (98) sacks Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Easton Stick (2) during an NFL football game, Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)
Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Poona Ford (98) celebrates his sack with defensive end Kingsley Jonathan (59) during an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Chargers, Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)
3. Creating pressure from the interior
One of the things Ford has been doing since arriving to the league is getting pressure on the quarterback and backfield on passing downs.
The defensive lineman has accumulated 8.5 sacks in his career to go along with 29 tackles for loss and 30 quarterback hits.
But over his career he has also created 109 total pressures according to Pro Football Focus.
Some of his best seasons came during his last three years in Seattle, where he became a force at creating some pressure. To go along with 7.0 sacks during that time period, Ford also had 83 pressures in a three-year span along with 66 stops.
4. Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year
Ford stepped right in as a freshman after arriving with the Longhorns.
He was a regular contributor over the first two seasons at Texas, playing in 21 games and serving as a steady player along their interior.
But his junior and senior year was where Ford took off.
He became a starter for the Longhorns beginning in his junior year, finishing fourth on the team with 54 tackles (40 solo) along with 5.5 tackles for loss and four quarterback hurries. He also added one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and two blocked PATs.
Ford took it up another level in his final collegiate year, finishing with 34 tackles, eight tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.
He was named a First-Team All-Big 12 selection and earned the Big 12 Conference Defensive Lineman of the Year award.
5. All-Area DPOY in South Carolina
Before Ford became a dominant force at Texas, he was a part of leading the turnaround at Hilton Head High School in South Carolina.
He spearheaded a defense that improved its scoring average by double digits in his final two years. He would notch 17 sacks and 72 tackles combined during his final two years.
Ford's dominant senior season saw him contribute on defense as well as offense and special teams enroute to a playoff appearance and the school's most wins in five years. He was named the All-Area Defensive Player of the Year that season.
