The New York Jets still have some loose change available in the deep cushions of their couch.
Whether or not they’re going to expend those final resources ahead of training camp is still to be determined. However, one analyst strongly advocated for the team to use some of those assets to acquire a proven stud on the defensive side of the ball.
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Could Be Worth a Kick of the Tires
The co-founder of uStadium, Nick Spano, joined the Play Like A Jet Podcast over the weekend and provided a very juicy name to watch:
“Another interesting one that I could see the Jets kind of taking a flier on is Dee Ford from the San Francisco 49ers. He has a history with Robert Saleh and had a great season in 2019 with him, but he has been injured and hasn’t been the same player since. Maybe he comes on a cheaper deal here and beats out one of the guys you signed like a Solomon Thomas. That’s an interesting one to watch.”
The 31-year-old defensive lineman originally entered the NFL back in 2014 as the No. 23 overall pick in the first round.
Ford spent the first five years of his career with the Kansas City Chiefs and methodically developed into a dynamic pass rusher:
- 30.5 sacks
- Nine forced fumbles
- 69 quarterback hits
In 2019 he was traded in a blockbuster deal to the 49ers in exchange for a second-rounder in the 2020 NFL draft. As part of the trade, Ford signed a brand-new five-year $85.5 million extension with San Francisco.
Sadly things haven’t worked out nearly as well in his new home. In three seasons Ford has played in only 18 out of 49 possible contests.
Destined to Shake Free
To add insult to injury, Ford’s time with San Francisco is running out.
The veteran is still currently on the 49ers roster and has been excused from attending mandatory minicamp. Head coach Kyle Shanahan said they “do not expect him to be on the team” once he can pass a physical, per uStadium.
#49ers have excused DE Dee Ford from mandatory camp and they “do not expect him to be on the team” once he can pass his physical, according to Kyle Shanahan.
There is still plenty of money left on his contract and no matter what way you slice it the 49ers are going to have to take a hit. David Lombardi of The Athletic shared the pertinent financial details:
-2022 dead money if Dee Ford were released today (5/31): $14.4m
-2022 dead money if Dee Ford is tomorrow or after (6/1): $5.8m
Starting tomorrow, 49ers can defer $8.6m of that dead cap cost to 2023 and save $1.12m of 2022 space
After he inevitably gets released there is a thought that Ford will join another team on the cheap in 2022. DJ Bien-Aime who covers the Jets for the New York Daily News suggested the right price for Ford is the “veteran minimum” based on his injury history.
Speaking of history, Ford and Saleh share one from their two years together in San Francisco.
With the amount of rotation the Jets are dedicated to in the trenches and the thought that you can never have enough pass rushers, this would make sense.
While Ford has been injured a ton, the good news is this would be a low-risk versus high-reward type of move. This would be a marginal financial investment and if he can’t stay healthy, you simply cut bait and move on.
If he stays healthy you have a super motivated pass rusher that’ll be looking to cash in one more time next offseason.
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