News of the 49ers parting ways with Ford shouldn't surprise anyone. In March, general manager John Lynch made it clear that the veteran pass rusher's time with the team was likely over.
"I don't see a lot of hope in him being a factor for us on the field moving forward," Lynch told reporters.
At the start of the 49ers' three-day mandatory minicamp in June, head coach Kyle Shanahan provided an update on Ford's health. However, he also echoed Lynch's earlier projection for the defensive end's future.
"I know we've gotten a good bill of health from his doctors, saying how good he is in this spot," Shanahan said. "We're going to check him out with our physical. I do not expect him to be on our team."
Lynch discussed Ford's future on Tuesday, as the 49ers prepared to kick off training camp.
"He's not [here]," Lynch told reporters. "I can tell you guys [that] the next couple of days, they're working through some things, league PA and all that. But I think you guys will see a transaction, and we'll leave it at that."
In 2019, San Francisco sent a second-round pick to the Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for Ford. He signed a five-year, $85.5 million deal with the 49ers following the trade. That season, Ford served as a bookend to the eventual NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, Nick Bosa. Ford has only appeared in 18 regular-season games and taken part in 378 snaps in his three seasons with San Francisco.
Due to ongoing back issues, the 49ers placed Ford on injured reserve on November 6, 2021. The team opened his practice window on November 25, 2021, but didn't activate him within the required timeframe, ending his season.
"I think we tried to be as patient as possible, and no fault of Dee, he just ran into a bad situation with his back, where he couldn't get healthy," Lynch said in March via NBC Sports Bay Area.
The Chiefs made Ford the No. 23 overall pick in 2014. He recorded five tackles, two tackles for a loss, four quarterback hits, and three sacks through six games in 2021 before landing on injured reserve. Ford registered 22 tackles, eight tackles for a loss, 10 quarterback hits, 9.5 sacks, a pass defensed, and three forced fumbles during his three seasons with San Francisco.
The 49ers added defensive end Drake Jackson in the second round of this year's draft. The hope is that he can be the complementary piece to Bosa that the team once envisioned for Ford.
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