Cincinnati Bengals offensive lineman Cody Ford turned some heads this season for his sheer versatility that wound up making him a key part of the offense.
In fact, Ford played key reps at multiple different spots and is the first in a long, long time to start at four different positions in the same season.
The performance even earned Ford a nod from franchise great Dave Lapham.
“There is much more different technique at tackle, particularly in pass protection, than there is at the guard position,” Lapham told Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com. “There’s the physical aspect of being able to rise to the occasion, but then being able to handle the technique and the mental aspect of knowing your assignment when the calls are made … First and foremost, you have to have your nose in the playbook … You know exactly what you’re supposed to do no matter where you are. You have to be able to sift through and make sure that you’re doing what you’re doing right guard, not left guard or right tackle.”
Ford played at left tackle when Orlando Brown Jr. was hurt, filled in at guard after a benching, functioned as an extra tight end and started at right tackle with rookie Amarius Mims hurt.
It wasn’t always perfect, but with the strong season, Ford went from a so-so outlook this offseason as a free agent to a guy the Bengals almost have to bring back as core depth.
Call it one of those little silver linings during a lost season — for player and team alike.
