Let's rewind the preseason tape for a minute. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers may have found a legitimate steal in Jalon Daniels. Watching that same tape, we can see that the Buccaneers' offensive line depth isn't very good.
So now we can rewind the tape all the way back to Oklahoma in 2017. Baker Mayfield was in his Heisman Trophy season. Everything was clicking, and in front of him was an offensive lineman who helped him win that season-ending honor. Cody Ford. Well, as luck would have it, Mayfield's former teammate was just released by the Bengals. Could a reunion in the bay make sense?
Ford has spent 7 years in the NFL after being drafted by the Bills in 2019. He spent his last three seasons with Cincinnati and can play both guard and tackle. Versatility is a lovely thing to have at the NFL level.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers should absolutely kick the tires on Baker Mayfield's former teammate
At this stage of the preseason, everyone should be given a look, especially if that player can help fix or, at the very least, lessen the problems of depth along the offensive line.
Mayfield is far removed from his Oklahoma days, but he can thank his line for helping him win the Heisman. He can now show one of them that love by talking with Jason Licht about claiming him off waivers.
Cody Ford was teammates with Baker Mayfield at Oklahoma during Mayfield’s 2017 Heisman season.
— Josh Crysler (@josh_crysler) August 24, 2026
With how poorly the Bucs’ backup OL performed against the Chiefs on Saturday night, could Tampa Bay consider bringing in Ford as a possible depth upgrade? https://t.co/QfAZHaVpHV
Ford isn't some great lineman who fell through the cracks in Southwestern Ohio. He started 15 of 16 games in his rookie season, then got hurt. He missed all but seven games the following year, but started them all. Over the last five seasons, he has managed to stay relatively healthy, but his starting snaps have dwindled.
Ford has just 20 starts over his last five seasons and has appeared in all but 9 games. His injury problems seem to be behind him, but the question of whether he can regain the level of play he once had has to be considered.
The Bengals released Ford on Monday despite not having a great line. That isn't an indictment of Ford being a horrible player. He was on a team that has struggled with building a quality offensive line, and frankly, there is a lot more that he can do and hasn't been able to show.
Following his release, Bengals fans took to social media to express their thanks and wish him good luck. Something better? Buccaneers fans would love to see that as well if he lands in Tampa Bay.
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