A franchise tag didn’t keep the 49ers from acquiring Chiefs outside linebacker Dee Ford. The two teams have agreed to a swap that will send Ford to San Francisco for a 2020 second-round pick according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
The trade is pending a deal for a new contract between Ford and the 49ers. He was originally set to be an unrestricted free agent this offseason. They opted to franchise tag him instead. The franchise tag for his position would’ve cost a shade over $15 million next season.
A player can’t be traded on a tag, so the 49ers had to work out a long-term contract with the 27-year-old before executing the trade. It can become official once the new league year opens Wednesday at 1:00 PM PT.
It’ll be an interesting fit for Ford and the 49ers. He was an outside linebacker in Kansas City’s 3-4 defense, and he can probably handle SAM linebacker duties for San Francisco while also putting his hand on the ground as a defensive end.
Ford had a career-best 13 sacks last season and was Pro Football Focus’ top-graded edge rusher. It was his second season with double-digit sacks, and he’s posted 30.5 in 67 career games after entering the NFL as a first-round pick of the Chiefs in 2014.
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