Bolstering special teams is always a good thing.
The Atlanta Falcons signed Mike Ford in 2022 to give them a special teams boost and a very capable gunner on returns, and he provided that. The Falcons in 2025 are turning to Ford again for the same reasons, and with any luck, Ford will deliver once again.
ESPN insider Adam Schefter had the news that the Falcons have signed Ford to a two-year, $4 million deal that’s likely to effectively be a cheap one year pact with a second year team option.
Browns free-agent cornerback Mike Ford reached agreement today with the Atlanta Falcons on a two-year, $4 million deal. Deal negotiated by Drew Rosenhaus and Oliver Chell.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 12, 2025
Ford has been known as one of the more capable gunners around the league for the length of his career, and a solid depth cornerback in dire circumstances. He’ll be no higher on the depth chart at cornerback than fifth and may not even rise that high, but Ford will play an outsized role on special teams once again. The last time around for Marquice Williams, he took on 83% of the special teams snaps in Atlanta, and you can expect a similar workload this time around. The chief knock on Ford during his last Falcons stint was that he missed too many tackles on special teams, but that year was an aberration year for him, as he’s generally quite capable.
It’s not a signing that’s going to have anyone jumping up and down except for our resident special teams enthusiasts, but it’s a solid signing for a team that can always use more capable special teamers and secondary depth. We’ll hope Ford’s return is followed by news of Pro Bowler KhaDarel Hodge’s return to give the team a great pair of gunner options for 2025. Welcome Ford back to Atlanta, if you would.