Chiefs’ Dee Ford more focused on building legacy than next contract, franchise tag
There’s still more than a month until the Chiefs can put a franchise tag on Dee Ford, but that’s not going to keep the contract questions from starting early.
So what would Ford do if the Chiefs did place the tag on him when the period comes between Feb. 19 and March 5?
“If somebody offers you $20 million, would you take it? No brainer right there, dog,” Ford said Monday afternoon.
Ford, who will be an unrestricted free agent in March, is in the midst of his best season with the Chiefs. Through the 2018 regular season, Ford had 42 solo tackles and 13 sacks — enough to earn him his first Pro Bowl selection.
With such a strong year, Ford, 27, could — and probably should — be the Chiefs’ No. 1 priority for their lone offseason franchise tag. If the tag is used on Ford, the two sides have until July to work out a long-term contract. If a long-term deal isn’t reached by then, Ford would be paid an average of the top salaries at his outside linebacker position for the 2019 season and the process would start over in 2020.
The Chiefs last used a franchise tag on Eric Berry in 2016, paying him $10.806 million in a one-year deal, but declined to use one on nose tackle Dontari Poe in 2017 after reaching a long-term deal with Berry that offseason.
Ford, the fifth-year linebacker out of Auburn, has been asked about his contract situation frequently throughout the season, but he’s continued to deftly dance around the topic.
“I’m laying my legacy down right now,” Ford said. “I can’t really control where I end up. I just know that there will be an opportunity. And if I’m on whatever team, you know, you’re going to know what I’m bringing at the end of the day. That’s what I’m focusing on. What I’m bringing. That’s so far away. I’m a present mind type of guy.”
To Ford, his standout year is a major part of the legacy he’s been working to build during his tenure with the Chiefs.
“Well, honestly, just the player who can make impactful plays for his defense,” Ford said when asked what he’s added to his legacy this year. “That’s what you need, a complete outside linebacker. Which that’s hard to do, being able to rush the passer, stop the run and cover when we need it in pass coverage.
“I can add Pro Bowl right now to my legacy forever. So that was very important for me. Very important for me. Like I said, me individually, that’s what i wanted for myself. The more I do for myself, the more I do for this team and that’s what it’s all about.”
This story was originally published December 31, 2018 at 5:04 PM.