Bears reportedly sign former Dolphins receiver Isaiah Ford |
Update: The Bears have signed Isaiah Ford soon after this article was posted.
As we inch closer to NFL Training Camp 2023, several players are still without homes and are looking for a chance to latch on with someone. While most of the big-name players are expected to sign before too long, there are several under-the-radar players that teams are still looking at as they try to figure out the fit within the team. One of those under-the-radar players was in Chicago for a workout on Monday as the Bears brought in former Miami Dolphins WR Isaiah Ford for a workout. The former Virginia Tech star WR was initially drafted by the Dolphins in 2017 before spending last season on the Colts practice squad. This decision was made after it was revealed that Chase Claypool would start camp on the PUP list, so the Bears are looking to add to their WR room in any way possible. Drafted in the seventh round by the Dolphins, Ford has played sparingly at best since arriving in the NFL but did have some flashes when he was on the field. After struggling with injuries in his first two seasons, Ford finally became a semi-contributor in 2019 as he picked up 276 yards receiving as a backup player. Two years later was the last time Ford saw regular action, but even then, he played sparingly at best as he finished the season with 16 receptions and 161 yards receiving. Fresh off a season where Ford was on a practice squad, he is looking to latch on somewhere, even if it means being a camp body. The Bears can fill that need for him as they need some bodies in camp with the recent injury news, and Ford is someone they could bring in to compete with other guys. Even if Claypool is out for an extended amount of time, it would be hard for Ford to make this roster, but that won't stop the Bears from adding to their roster one way or another. After signing his four-year, $2.5 million dollar contract with the Dolphins, Ford was up and down during his tenure with them, although a series of early injuries played a role. After bouncing between the injured list and the active roster, the New England Patriots traded for Ford in 2020, but soon waived him before the season ended. Ford then chose to return to the Dolphins, where he saw a ton of playing time early in the season but lacked the overall production to stay in the lineup. Looking at the Bears need to add to their WR room, and I understand wanting to improve it, but does adding Ford do that? This guy has been in this league for almost seven seasons and doesn't even have 500 yards of career production behind his name. This is different from bringing in Kenny Galloway or someone else with extended NFL snaps. Instead, this reserve player has seen limited action since 2017. If anything, Ford will offer the Bears another body during camp that they could essentially play during the regular season. That could serve as an audition tape for Ford with other teams, as he may only be on the roster a little past that first week. However, if Ford does something special to get the team to notice him, he could play a role on special teams, which is also essential. Ford has a ton of speed and can be a game-breaker if the ball is in his hand. What better way to do that than by letting him return kicks in an effort to set the offense up with decent field position?
