Packers bolster special teams, signing safety Rudy Ford

The initial roster for the Green Bay Packers was set, but with several hundred players around the NFL being cut on Tuesday, some maneuvering by NFL general managers will still take place.

Last summer, the Packers did not add anyone following the initial cutdown period, but on Tuesday, they added safety and special teams ace Rudy Ford, according to Mike Garafollo.

Ford was a 2017 sixth-round pick by Arizona and has also spent time with Philadelphia and most recently, Jacksonville. He has five years of NFL experience.

What to know about the Packers newest safety Rudy Ford

During that span, Ford has been a primary special teams player over his career with 976 career snaps, according to PFF ($$), playing in all five phases, although he’s been utilized the least on the field goal block team.

Ford does have some defensive experience, with 550 career snaps, including 423 coming a season ago. He spent most of his time in the slot and allowed 39 receptions on 47 targets but held opponents to only 7.3 yards per catch. He also was a sound tackler — as evidenced by his yards per catch — active in the run game and came away with an interception.

Most likely, Ford won’t see much playing time on defense as long as everyone is healthy. He is in Green Bay to help out on special teams.

While it is still very early in Rich Bisaccia’s tenure, the special teams play this preseason was quite uninspiring. We saw poor blocking, big returns allowed, and missed tackles.

For a Packers team that is going to be relying much more heavily on the defensive side of the ball, the special teams play must be improved so that the defense isn’t continually working with short fields.

With the addition of Ford, a corresponding cut has to be made and will most likely come from the safety position as there are already five players on the roster. If I had to guess, either Tariq Carpenter or Micah Abernathy will be let go.