The Green Bay Packers hired Jonathan Gannon to replace Jeff Hafley as defensive coordinator and will have some changes on this side of the ball. The defensive tackle room is one of the deepest ones on the roster, and that doesn't bode well for Jonathan Ford.
The Packers signed 16 players to future/reserve deals in January, but they didn't extend the offer to Ford. Instead, they'll let him hit free agency come March, and with a new coaching staff coming in, the odds are stacked against Ford.
Jonathan Ford Has Uphill Climb in Order to Return to Packers
Green Bay's defensive tackle room already features Devonte Wyatt, Colby Wooden, Karl Brooks, Warren Brinson, Jordon Riley, and Nazir Stackhouse. All of these guys are under contract for 2026 and have shown more flashes than Ford.
Ford was nabbed in the seventh round of the 2022 NFL draft, but he didn't play a game for the Packers before getting waived in Dec. 2024. He then latched onto the Chicago Bears. During his time there, he also bounced back and forth between the practice squad and active roster.
The Miami product found his way back to Titletown after he was elevated a maximum of three times and claimed off waivers by the Packers on Dec. 29. Following his return, Ford played in Week 18 and the wild-card loss to the Bears. In those outings, he finished with four total tackles. According to Pro Football Focus, he had a 60.4 overall grade, 62.9 run-defense grade, and a 52.2 pass-rush grade.
It was a small sample size, but it likely wasn't enough to keep him around. Wyatt is the biggest name in this room, but he'll be coming off a broken fibula and torn ankle ligaments. Despite this major injury, he's expected to be ready for the 2026 campaign.
Meanwhile, Wooden, Brooks, Brinson, Riley, and Stackhouse are all on the books. Why would the Packers bring Ford back when they have six players already battling in the room? And that's without mentioning that Gannon may want to bring in his own guys.
We are still weeks away from free agency and the NFL draft. The Packers have new voices running the show on defense, and that may not be the best news for Ford. Although he played well down the stretch, it may not be enough to keep him around for the 2026 season.