The San Francisco 49ers made a major move this Wednesday, releasing defensive end Dee Ford.
In 2019, the 49ers acquired Ford from the Kansas City Chiefs. At that time, he was supposed to elevate the team’s pass rush for the foreseeable future.
Unfortunately for Ford, injuries derailed his career in the Bay Area. During the 2020 season, he was placed on injured reserve with a neck and back injury.
Ford returned in 2021, but he was placed on injured reserve once again due to health concerns.
The 49ers’ decision to cut Ford isn’t a surprise. General manager John Lynch hinted at this move being made back in June.
“I think we tried to be as patient as possible,” said Lynch, via All 49ers. “And no fault of Dee, he just ran into a bad situation with his back, where he couldn’t get healthy. We’ll figure that out, exactly what the transaction will be, but not enough hope and progress to see him playing for us moving forward.”
It’s unclear if Ford will continue to pursue a career in the NFL. Since entering the league in 2014, the Auburn product has 159 combined tackles, 40 sacks and 12 forced fumbles.