Free agency was a challenge for defensive tackle Poona Ford, who was coming off a strong bounce-back season with the Los Angeles Chargers.
Ford leaned on his family for advice about whether to stay with the Chargers or sign elsewhere. He also prayed, asking God to guide him to the best possible choice.
That guidance led him to the Los Angeles Rams.
“I just always admire Coach (Sean) McVay as a coach, and the young D-line they have,” Ford said.
McVay, 39, is entering his ninth season as head coach of the Rams. Known as a young, energetic leader, he has often been labeled a “player-friendly coach.”
“I like my coach to have some energy about himself,” Ford said. “He is very intense and you can see it in his eyes.”
The Rams won Super Bowl LVI at SoFi Stadium behind one of the best defensive lines of the last decade. Since that championship, however, the roster has seen significant turnover.
Once famous for their “F-them picks” philosophy, the Rams have shifted toward building through the draft. In 2024, they invested heavily in the defensive line, selecting defensive end Jared Verse and defensive tackle Braden Fiske in the first and second rounds.
The Rams started last season 1-4 but finished 10-7, winning the NFC West. Their biggest weakness, however, was defending the run—something exposed twice by Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley.
In their Week 12 matchup, Barkley torched the Rams for 255 rushing yards and two touchdowns. He did it again in the NFC Divisional Round, racking up 205 yards and two more scores. In total, Barkley gashed them for 460 rushing yards in those two games.
Ford admitted he wasn’t aware of those struggles.
“Like, I told the guys, I’m just here to add my little bit of seasoning to the to the to the stew,” Ford said. “They already got a good thing going with the young guys. I’m just here to add a little bit of seasoning.”
Ford spent five productive seasons with the Seattle Seahawks before joining the Buffalo Bills in 2023, where he was limited to eight games. In 2024, the Chargers signed him as a free agent.
It proved to be a savvy move. The Chargers were entering a new era with Jim Harbaugh and Joe Hortiz, and both believed Ford could anchor their defensive line—they were right.
Ford finished with 39 total tackles, eight tackles for loss, three sacks, an interception, five passes defensed, and nine quarterback hits while playing a key role in Jesse Minter’s top-10 defense.
Ric Tapia – The Sporting Tribune
Poona Ford #95 of the Los Angeles Chargers celebrates a sack during the first half against the Cincinnati Bengals at SoFi Stadium on November 17, 2024 in Inglewood, California.
“He’s got just a great competitiveness,” McVay said. “When you watch him, the way that he competes, snap in and snap out becomes contagious for the rest of the guys, fits in perfectly with that group. Love everything about Poona.”
When Ford first entered the Rams locker room, he was surprised by who was next to him.
“Man, the first thing is loud,” Ford said about Verse. “When I first got there, I’m like, dang, that’s my locker mate. So I’m thinking, like, damn, they put the loudest person in the locker room next to the quietest person in the locker room. But he for sure backs it up and that is what you want. You need guys like him on the team.”
Verse built his reputation on swagger, even trash talking Eagles fans at Lincoln Financial Field before their playoff matchup. On the field, he flashed star potential as a rookie—returning a 57-yard fumble for a touchdown in the wild card round against the Vikings, then adding two sacks versus the Eagles.
“Just everybody being on one page together,” Ford said. “We just always try to preach four is one playing together.”
Ford now joins a talented defensive front. Fiske led the Rams with 8.5 sacks as a rookie, while third-year lineman Kobie Turner added eight of his own.
“Learning from each other, that’s probably been the best thing that we’ve been doing this camp and OTAs,” Ford said. “Just try to keep getting better every day.”
Ford brings power, leverage, and run-stuffing ability to the group. His 85.1 PFF grade ranked fifth among all NFL defensive linemen last season.
“He’s a wrecker,” Fiske said. “He holds it down in the middle of our defense. Playing with him I’m learning. He’s a vet, which is something we needed in this room because we’re a pretty young defensive line.”
The Rams upgraded multiple positions this offseason, including the receiver room by adding Davante Adams to pair with breakout star Puka Nacua.
“I’m watching art every day,” Ford said about the two receivers. “I ain’t gonna lie. The way they both get after it in their route running, it is poetry in motion.”
When asked if that made one the paint, the other the brush, and Stafford the Picasso, Ford laughed.
“That sounds good, so I’m gonna go with that,” Ford said.
Jordan Teller – The Sporting Tribune
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Davante Adams (17) catches a pass during training camp at Loyola Marymount University, Saturday August 2, 2025 in Los Angeles, Calif.
Veteran leadership is exactly what Ford brings to the Rams, on and off the field. His Chargers teammates praised how he helped them prepare and approach games last season.
“Gawd dog that’s huge,“ Rams run game coordinator and defensive line coach Giff Smith said. “Poona is the real deal. And he fits right in with the group. You’re always a little nervous sometimes with free agents, but man it’s like he’s been here 10 years. We’re so lucky to have him. He can rush the passer, too. So, we can keep people fresh.”
While Ford is best known for stopping the run, he was also disruptive as a pass rusher last year, matching his career high with three sacks.
Now, paired with Turner, Fiske, Verse, and Byron Young, the Rams could be building one of the most complete defensive lines in the NFL that could take them all the way to Santa Clara next February.
“It could be special, man,” Ford said. “We can go as far as we want to go, as long as we just keep putting in the work and just keep stacking days leading up to week one.”