Packers will bring back defensive tackle Jonathan Ford

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Packers will bring back defensive tackle Jonathan Ford

Ryan Wood, Green Bay Press-Gazette · Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Wed, Mar 11, 2026 ·

1 min read

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GREEN BAY − Needing big bodies on their defensive line, the Green Bay Packers are re-signing nose tackle Jonathan Ford , a source confirmed to PackersNews .

The Packers reunited with their former seventh-round pick from the 2022 draft late last season. Ford spent his first three seasons shuttling between the Packers practice squad and active roster but did not appear in a game. He joined the Chicago Bears midway through the 2024 season and played four games.

Jonathan Ford is shown during the Green Bay Packers organized team activities in 2022.

Ford appeared in eight games for the Bears last season before the Packers claimed him off waivers in Week 18. He played 30 snaps with the Packers' playoff seed already secured in their regular-season finale at the Minnesota Vikings , then 18 snaps one week later in the wild-card playoff loss at Chicago.

At 6-foot-5, 338 pounds, Ford has the size to be the type of run-lane clogger new Packers defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon wants in his defense. He's a specialized run defender with no career sacks or quarterback hits.

The Packers re-signed defensive end Brenton Cox Jr. earlier March 11. Together, Ford and Cox help provide depth to a currently thin defensive line, but there remains major work to do especially at the top of the defensive tackle depth chart.

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See the Green Bay Packers free agents in 2026

Quay Walker (upper left, clockwise), Malik Willis, Romeo Doubs and Sean Rhyan were four of the Green Bay Packers' 20 free agents during the 2026 offseason. Are any of them returning to Green Bay next season?

Scroll through this gallery to see their status and every free agent's as free agency period opened on Monday, March 9.

(Christian Petersen / Getty Images and Mark Hoffman / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)