The Atlanta Falcons are going through a transformative offseason. Entering free agency with no cap space and a ton of key contributors with expiring contracts, GM Terry Fontenot has been hard at work revamping the roster. The Falcons had to make the hard decision to let Drew Dalman walk in free agency and cut longtime fan favorite Grady Jarrett.
This also means that the Falcons have to find value on the margins. Without the cap flexibility to be aggressive in pursuing top free agents, the Falcons have been looking for bargain deals.
One of the bargain deals the Falcons signed came on Wednesday morning. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that the Falcons were signing cornerback and special teams ace Mike Ford to a two-year, $4 million deal.
REPORT: The Falcons are signing CB Mike Ford to a two-year deal worth $4 million, according to @AdamSchefter — Ford is a known name for Atlanta, having played for the team in 2022.https://t.co/y7XDJyxkte
— Tori McElhaney (@tori_mcelhaney) March 12, 2025
Falcons News: Atlanta Signs CB Mike Ford for Second Stint
Ford is a familiar face in Atlanta. Back in 2022, the Falcons had signed the veteran to bolster their return units and special teams. That season, he played in all 17 games for the team, mostly on special teams. He played a total of 83 defensive snaps and but lined up in 83% of special teams snaps for the Falcons.
Following this stint, Ford spent the past two seasons with the Cleveland Browns. He continued his special teams work there while increasing his role on the defensive side of the ball.
Ford has been a solid gunner on returns throughout his career, and he will mostly be utilized in that role for Atlanta.
This was also the first addition the Falcons made to the secondary. Whether Ford will have a chance to compete for a starting nickel cornerback position with Dee Alford likely leaving in restricted free agency remains to be seen. Considering the fact that the Falcons will likely draft another backfield defender, Ford will slot in as a CB5 on the depth chart.