The San Francisco 49ers already lost pass rusher Nick Bosa for the season due to a torn ACL. It doesn't sound like the defense will be getting one of its other pass rushers, Dee Ford, back this week.
A back injury kept him sidelined during Week 2, and he is expected to miss this weekend's game against the New York Giants, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.
After further evaluation, #49ers DE Dee Ford is expected to miss this week's game against the #Giants and there's no clear timetable for his return, sources tell me and @MikeGarafolo. The hope is Ford's back injury settles down, but it may take some time.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) September 22, 2020
General manager John Lynch said that Ford started complaining of some neck stiffness last week, leading to tests to determine the extent of the injury. He was ruled out for Week 2's contest against the New York Jets.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan later reported that tests showed Ford is dealing with a back injury. The team has not revealed the severity of the injury, however.
"Any time it's the back, that is an issue," Shanahan said on Monday.
The 49ers in 2019 signed Ford to a five-year deal worth $85 million after surrendering a second-round pick to the Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for the defender. He fought through discomfort during his first season with San Francisco as he dealt with knee and hamstring injuries.
Ford racked up 6.5 regular-season sacks through 11 games and two starts and added another in the playoffs while dealing with injuries last season.