Dee Ford trade rumors prove Brett Veach was right in first place

The San Francisco 49ers made a huge investment in Dee Ford last offseason, and have now placed the pass rushing specialist on the trading block.

SB Nation writer Rob Lowder reported on Monday that San Francisco 49ers pass rusher Dee Ford was on the trading block after just one season in the Bay Area.

This is a surprising move for the 49ers and general manager John Lynch after the team traded for Ford to be part of a strong defensive front which led the team to the Super Bowl. Lowder reported that the 49ers are interested in generating draft capital by placing Ford, and other veterans, on the block.

The Kansas City Chiefs picked up Ford’s fifth year option after the 2017 season and gave Ford one year to prove he deserved a big contract. He did just that, by staying healthy for all 16 games (and both playoff games). Along the way, he put up 13 sacks and made a Pro Bowl appearance in 2018. Still the Chiefs were unwilling to offer a big contract given Ford’s ongoing back issues, and the team utilized the franchise tag on Ford with the goal of dealing him.

In the end, the 49ers traded their 2020 second round pick to the Chiefs and signed him to a massive extension that came in at five years and $85.5 million. The deal had over $33 million guaranteed to Ford. For their part, the Chiefs moved on from their 2014 first-round pick in favor of making a big splash with the trade of their1st round pick in 2019 and their own 2nd round pick in 2020 to the Seattle Seahawks for Frank Clark. Clark was integral in the Chiefs’ defensive turnaround the second half of 2019 and in winning the Super Bowl LIV Championship.

San Francisco took a big risk in signing Ford, who had proven to be an effective pass rusher when available, but who was unable to stay healthy for long periods of time. The only seasons the defensive end was able to play in all 16 games came in 2015 and 2018. He missed 10 games in 2017 with nagging and recurring back injuries, and in his lone year with the 49ers, Ford was again hampered by injury. He played in only 11 regular season games while nursing a hamstring injury most of the year. He has been largely ineffective as a pass rusher in the playoffs throughout his career, too, logging only 2.5 sacks in eight career playoff games, including one in the 2019 playoffs.

Despite the fact that putting him on the block after only one season is a major concession in the error of their ways, the 49ers are able to move on from their big trade acquisition with minimal financial repercussions. Because of the remaining money on the contract, the 49ers are unlikely to net equal return for their one year investment. A trading team would inherit the more than $60 million in cap hits owed to Ford over the next four seasons. That’s a significant ask for a player who has been excellent at times in his career, but has a terrifying injury history (especially his back) and has only been healthy for two seasons out of six in the NFL.

San Francisco gave up a 2020 2nd round pick for one year and 6.5 sacks from Ford. In a deal done now, its possible that the 49ers would be lucky to receive a 4th or 5th round pick for their pass rusher.

This continues a big shakeup for the defending NFC Champions, who have already lost wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders in free agency this offseason and traded star defensive tackle DeForest Buckner to Indianapolis.