Patriots head coach Bill Belichick said Tuesday that Ford has been cleared to return from the reserve/Commissioner Exempt List, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com reports.
After being acquired from the Dolphins on Nov. 3, Ford was ineligible to play in the Patriots' Week 9 win over the Jets while he waited to clear COVID-19 intake testing with his new team. Now that Ford has been formally added to the roster, he'll add some much-needed depth to a Patriots wideout corps that's lacking in dependable options. Quarterback Cam Newton seems to have established a rapport with Jakobi Meyers (22 receptions for 287 yards over last three games), but with Julian Edelman (knee) on injured reserve and the status of N'Keal Harry (concussion) uncertain, Ford could quickly earn a key role in the team's receiver rotation.