The 49ers haven’t seen much of their new pass rusher Dee Ford in his career. He played against them twice – once as a rookie and again last season. Given that his productivity in those games wasn’t great, we decided to get in touch with someone who’s watched every game Ford has ever played.
Our friend Charles Goldman at the Chiefs Wire chatted with us about San Francisco’s newest pass rusher. The 27-year-old is coming off a career year where he put up a career-high 13 sacks and forced a league-high seven fumbles.
The Chiefs wanted to keep Ford, but had to make a long-term financial choice that involved parting ways with the outside linebacker.
“49ers fans shouldn’t fear, the decision to trade Ford was strictly business,” Goldman wrote in an email. “The Chiefs moved on from Ford because they’re about to make Tyreek Hill the highest-paid wide receiver in the NFL. They’ll hand out an equally expensive contract to Patrick Mahomes in 2020. You can’t pay a premium for every position in the NFL, and the Chiefs need to go younger and cheaper on the edge.”
Hill has just one year left on his rookie deal, and is coming off his first All-Pro season. Mahomes won the MVP in his first year as a starter. He will be eligible for an extension next offseason.
The Chiefs placed a franchise tag on Ford that would’ve kept him in Kansas City for the 2019 season at $15.4 million. They likely wouldn’t have been able to afford him as an unrestricted free agent next offseason. That’s why they were willing to send him out for compensation in the form of a 2020 second-round pick.
Goldman also noted that Ford brings a load of talent with him to San Francisco’s lackluster pass rush, and his lack of productivity through his first two seasons had more to do with opportunity than ability.
“He’s a fine player, with perhaps one of the quickest first steps in the league,” Goldman wrote. “His lack of production up to the 2018 season was due to circumstance and not a lack of talent. He was body blocked by Tamba Hali for two seasons, and just as he finally got an opportunity to get some snaps, he suffered an injury. He’s healthy and primed for success in San Francisco.”
His exact role in the defense isn’t known just yet. He might be able to play SAM linebacker in the base defense, but the 49ers could also want him strictly as a defensive end where he’s getting after the quarterback and helping set the edge against the run.
The big takeaway from our discussion with Charles is that Ford’s monster 2018 campaign wasn’t a one-year wonder. It was simply his first healthy season without restrictions ahead of him on the depth chart. There will be no such barrier for his pass rushing prowess to be unleashed in San Francisco. He’ll step in Day 1 and be the team’s top pass rusher.
It’s been several years since the 49ers had a legitimately dominant edge rusher, and it appears they’ve locked one down with Ford.
You can read more about Dee Ford and the Kansas City Chiefs at ChiefsWire.com, and you can follow Charles on Twitter at @goldmctNFL.
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