49ers Set to Release $85 Million Pass Rusher: Report

Dee Ford

Getty Dee Ford during the week of the 2020 Super Bowl.

Dee Ford has gone from being a five-year, $85.5 million defender for the San Francisco 49ers to now telling teammates he’s played his last game in the red and gold.

And Ford has told teammates that his last day with the Niners could be as soon as Wednesday, December 15, according to a new report by Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio.

ALL the latest 49ers news straight to your inbox! Join the Heavy on 49ers newsletter here!

Join Heavy on 49ers!

The NBC Sports insider reported late Tuesday night that Ford expects to be released by the franchise.


Ford Had Been Dealing With Neck & Back Injuries

Ford has been out of the 49ers’ lineup since October 24 due to neck and back ailments. He landed on injured reserve on November 6.

Ford rejoined the team on November 25. However, he was given a three-week window for returning to the active roster or spend the entire season on the IR list. Ford tried to make his comeback attempt just a week ago per Matt Barrows of The Athletic.

Fellow Athletic reporter David Lombardi added to the Barrows tweet, saying that Ford and the 49ers had a deadline they needed to meet.

Ford, however, was never activated for the Sunday, December 12 road game against Cincinnati — marking the 27th time he had to miss a game in a 49ers uniform as his career began getting marred with injuries. Per Pro Football Reference, Ford has never played beyond 11 games as a 49er and only made two starts at defensive end.

Then along came Monday, December 13, when 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan addressed Bay Area reporters about Ford’s status.


Shanahan Didn’t Believe in a Return

Shanahan realized that the ‘Niners needed to make a decision before their home game against the Atlanta Falcons on what to do with the 6-foot-2, 252-pound Ford. Shanahan himself began to doubt that Ford would return.

“I believe we’ve got to make [a decision] by Wednesday, and we’ll see what goes,” Shanahan said. “That’s something that I never can predict. But I’ll be surprised if he’s back. I think we’ll just have to continue playing without him.”

With Ford in the lineup, the former 2014 first-rounder for the Kansas City Chiefs tallied 5 tackles (2 TFL), 4 quarterback hits and collected 3.0 sacks. Ford was tied for third with Arik Armstead in the sack category among 49er defenders.

One of Ford’s sacks? It came against Russell Wilson and the Seattle Seahawks on October 3.

He also got to former NFC West rival Jared Goff to start the year.

But without Ford, the ‘Niners have seen Nick Bosa burst into a potential Comeback Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year candidate with a team-high 14.0 sacks. Adren Key also emerged in Ford’s absence by racking up 4.0 sacks while playing the opposite defensive end to Bosa.


What Releasing Ford Now Means

Akash Anavarathan of Niners Nation of SB Nation broke down what the 49ers save in the future by parting ways with Ford.

Ford’s 49er career is obviously robbed by constant injuries. Since his arrival to the Bay Area in 2019 after signing his mega deal, Ford has been hampered by the following according to Draft Sharks: Knee tendonitis during 2019 training camp, a hamstring strain that sidelined him for two games in November, re-aggravating that same hamstring against the New Orleans Saints that took him away from three more games, a tweaked calf in August 2020 camp and back issues that occurred on September 17 of 2020.

Ford’s next team may become hesitant to bring him in given his litany of injuries in S.F.. However, just four seasons ago, Ford earned 2018 Pro Bowl honors after snatching a career-high 13.0 sacks. The Chiefs placed the franchise tag on him before the 49ers nabbed him. He also delivered a 10.0-sack season in 2016 in K.C. In both seasons, Ford either started in 14 or all 16 games. So a team may be convinced that a fully healthy Ford can bolster the pass rush.

This is also the time of year when aspiring playoff teams can make a last minute addition to bolster a positional need. Teams needing a quarterback rusher may be intrigued to give Ford a chance. One thing is evident, though: The 49ers gave their once $85 million man plenty of chances to add to the pass rush — and now he’s on his way out of San Fran per Florio.

Read More
,