The 49ers took a massive step toward curing their anemic pass rush. They agreed to send a 2020 second-round pick to the Chiefs in exchange for edge rusher Dee Ford.

Before the deal could be finalized, the 49ers had to agree to a multi-year extension with the 27-year-old. The Chiefs originally placed the franchise tag on him following his career-best 13 sacks last season. The two sides finally agreed to a five-year deal worth $87.5 million according to reports.

Let’s go through the factors that play into this trade and see what kind of initial grade we can hand out.

Fit

This is perhaps the biggest question mark of the deal. Ford is an undeniably quick, talented edge rusher, but he’s spent most of his career as a 3-4 outside linebacker. San Francisco runs a 4-3 that requires its edge rushers to play along the defensive line. He will be the team’s best pass rusher regardless of where he winds up playing, and that’s what matters to the 49ers. They needed players who can affect games, and Ford can do that even if his schematic fit isn’t ideal.

Contract

We still can’t assess the contract in full because the terms have not been released. However, an average annual value of $17.5 million puts Ford third among linebackers, and third among defensive ends. The guaranteed money and potential outs are what matter most though. This appears on the surface to be a strong deal for the 49ers and a premier pass rusher.

Filling a need

This touches on the 49ers’ biggest need. It would’ve been a borderline catastrophe if they didn’t figure out a deal for an edge rusher in free agency. Drafting a pass rusher early will be vital, but having depth at the position will help.

Trade compensation

Scooping up a player who would’ve led the 49ers in sacks last season for a second-round pick next year is a nice move for general manager John Lynch. That pick will be in the late 40s or early 50s if everything goes right. That’s great value for a 27-year-old coming off a career year, and it gives the 49ers a chance to recoup that pick in a later trade.

Overall grade

A high-profile pass rusher was a necessity for San Francisco’s free agency period. With all the top edge rushers getting franchise tagged, a trade was going to have to be the route they went if they didn’t want to pay top-end prices for a player outside the top tier. The contract will determine a lot of how good or bad this trade was for the 49ers, but on the surface it looks like they took a big swing to fill a need with a high-quality player.

Grade: A-