Getty Kerry Hyder Jr. and Dre Greenlaw of the 49ers look to rush Patrick Mahomes on October 23, 2022.
One week from now, NFL teams everywhere including the San Francisco 49ers must complete any kind of trade before the November 1 deadline. Already, the 49ers snatched Christian McCaffrey well before the due date.
But this is also a time period where teams making a playoff push can tap into any available free agent out there.
Stunningly, one name continues to be without an NFL home who was once rewarded with a wealthy $85.5 million contract by the 49ers. But despite not having his name listed on any NFL roster at the moment, Dee Ford has earned this title from Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay on Monday, October 24: He’s on their list of “5 NFL Free Agents Who Could Help Fuel 2022 Playoff Runs.”
What B/R Says About Ford
While Ford played on the last NFC champion 49ers team of the 2019 season, the edge rusher who once inked a five-year, $85,500,000 deal with the Niners never got the chance to showcase the Pro Bowl form he delivered with the Kansas City Chiefs.
His best season as a 49er? That would be his 6.5 sack campaign during the march to the NFC title. Injuries, however, would limit Ford with back problems developing on his end. Kay, though, still believes the 31-year-old Ford can be an impact player for a team needing edge rush help.
“There aren’t too many impact pass-rushers without an NFL contract right now, but Dee Ford should be on the short list of targets for squads needing some help on the edge,” Kay wrote. “Ford is one of the more proven options because of the time he spent with both the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers. He was a first-round pick by the former in 2014, spending five seasons with the club before a three-year stint in the Bay Area.”
Kay included Ford’s postseason accolades: Collecting 17 tackles, delivered seven QB hits, produced five tackles for a loss, snatched 2.5 sacks and forced a fumble in games played in January. Kay still believes Ford can be an impact player elsewhere.
“While his production declined because of injuries during his tenure with the Niners, Ford was still a serviceable edge-rusher when he was available in recent years. After coming back from neck and back injuries that limited him to just one game in 2020, Ford suited up for six contests last year and tallied five tackles, three sacks, four quarterback hits, two tackles for a loss and a forced fumble,” Kay said.
Who Would be a Serviceable Fit for Ford?
Ford’s 49er days ended during the 2022 offseason. Head coach Kyle Shanahan, however, said that despite the injury pileup, Ford left S.F. with a “good bill of health,” which should bode well for teams that may look for pass rushing help.
And which teams appear to be a great suitor for Ford?
Cincinnati: No one on the defending AFC champions has surpassed four sacks through seven games. And that includes leading rusher Trey Hendrickson at 3.5.
Las Vegas: Though Maxx Crosby is putting together a Pro Bowl caliber campaign with six sacks in six games, no one on the Raiders has more than two sacks outside of him. Even prized free agent Chandler Jones has struggled early with 0.5 sacks so far.
Cleveland: Ford could benefit greatly being in a room with Myles Garrett and Jadeveon Clowney in an edge rush rotation. However, it’s Garrett who’s been the more productive one at six sacks. No other Browns defender has three.