Although the Cincinnati Bengals are in hot water surrounding Trey Hendrickson, they were able to secure one of their offensive linemen for the foreseeable future ahead of free agency. Joe Burrow will be happy with this move, as the Bengals re-signed one of their own, handing a one-year deal to lineman Cody Ford, per Mike Garafolo on X.

“The #Bengals are bringing back OL Cody Ford on a two-year deal, source says,” Garafolo wrote. “After playing in 16 games with nine starts last season, Ford returns to Cincy to help protect QB Joe Burrow.”

While the Bengals will be happier if they can re-sign Ja’Marr Chase and/or Tee Higgins, it’s a start for Cincinnati.

In the NFL, building a stout offensive line is a priority of nearly every team. And with the Bengals having Burrow under center — who’s faced some serious injuries in his NFL career thus far — the priority of having a strong base in front of him is paramount.

Ford was a second-round pick in 2019 to the Buffalo Bills, playing with them for his first three seasons in the NFL. Then, he spent one year with the Arizona Cardinals, where he’d only make three starts. However, Ford landed with the Bengals in 2023, where he’s been ever since.

In his two seasons with the Bengals, he’s been a constant for the offensive line in Cincinnati, even if he isn’t an All-Pro lineman.

Not only is it important to have good linemen, but it’s even more crucial to have strong continuity among the line.

Throughout his career, he’s graded between the 40s and high 50s by PFF, showing he might not cause teams to form bidding wars over him in the offseason. But not every good offensive line needs Hall-of-Famers at every position. Sure, that helps, but it’s not necessary.

And with Ford returning for the 2025 season, the Bengals have a bit of familiarity within their offensive line.

The more lineman that can be brought back — even if they aren’t top-of-the-line — the better.

Because — if the Bengals improve from Ford through the 2025 NFL Draft or elsewhere — they still have a quality player who can plug and play if something happens to a starter.

Building an NFL roster isn’t just about adding players who will wear golden suit coats at the end of their careers. It’s about using the resources to build the best possible product with what they have.

So — although some Bengals fans might question the decision to re-sign Cody Ford before free agency— they likely did so with Joe Burrow’s health in mind.