Rams' 26 most important players for 2026 - No. 17: NT Poona Ford

Rams' 26 most important players for 2026 puts NT Poona Ford at No. 17, emphasizing how Los Angeles used last offseason’s defensive-line upgrades to replace Bobby Brown III. Ford was brought in after Brown left in free agency, with the Rams signing him to a three-year contract worth $27.6 million, including $17.1 million guaranteed. The piece says Ford is entering his second season and should work alongside Kobie Turner and Braden Fiske as a run-stopping nose tackle with interior pass-rushing impact. In 2025, Ford recorded 47 tackles (10 starts), 2 sacks, 4 tackles for loss, 5 QB hits, and 1 batted pass across 17 games. It notes he earned a top interior-defender grade of 86.1 in the NFL last year, and that his pressures from the middle were far higher than Brown’s—34 versus three on comparable pass-rush opportunities.