The 49ers have opened up a chunk of cap space. According to ESPN’s Field Yates (on Twitter), the 49ers have restructured the contract of defensive end Dee Ford.
Following a trade in 2019, the 49ers inked the pass rusher to a five-year, $87.5MM deal. Last March, he agreed to scale it down to a two-year pact worth $24MM. Today’s move will create $4.96MM in 2022 cap space.
The 49ers traded for Ford during the 2019 offseason and saw him play a key role in their Super Bowl LIV run as a part-timer. Unfortunately, he’s been limited to just 18 regular season games in SF over the last two seasons and change.
The 30-year-old got into six games in 2021, collecting three sacks and four QB hits. However, his season ended on injured reserve with back and neck injuries.
dude should play for free as much as he’s been out, glad he’s San Frans problem now
The nightmare trade that never ends
Whh, it wasn’t a bad deal at the time. The 49ers desperately needed an edge like Ford, as they were trying to build an identity on defense.
People forget now, but SF defense hasn’t always been so great. Yes, it’s gone through dominant times like with Patrick Willis, N.Bowman, T. Spikes, Justin Smith, etc., but the 49ers desperately needed a really good Edge to solidify their pass rush in the hopes it would make everyone better as a complete unit.
Hindsight is 20/20 now clearly, but when Ford has been healthy and on, the 49ers defense has looked among the best in the league!! Keep in mind, that’s also been with countless other injuries and practically, besides Jimmy Ward, even when he was healthy, a bunch of no name or cast-off DBs..