49ers 2019 free agency tracker: Live updates, news and reports
By Chris Wilson
Edge rusher Dee Ford
Five years, $87.5 million
In the evening hours before 2019 NFL free agency officially began, the 49ers made a move that will shape the remainder of their 2019 offseason. On Tuesday night, San Francisco obtained one of the NFL’s premier edge rushers, Dee Ford, from the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Niners first struck a deal with the Chiefs, pending the negotiation of a new contract for Ford, who received a $15.4 million franchise tag from Kansas City last week. The two sides agreed to exchange the 49ers’ second-round draft pick in 2020 for the rights to the pass-rushing specialist:
The trade is essentially agreed to — Ford for a 2020 2nd round pick. That assumes the #49ers get a deal done with Ford. https://t.co/g4tYK2tWFh
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 13, 2019
The next step for San Francisco’s front office was to work out a lengthy contract extension with Ford’s camp. Minutes after news of the initial trade broke, ESPN’s Josina Anderson reported that the two sides came to terms on a significant five-year, $87.5 million deal:
Sounds like the #49ers will give Dee Ford a multi-year deal once the trade becomes official in the line of 5 years/$87.5M, per source. https://t.co/McLKKxheel
— JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) March 13, 2019
By landing Ford, Lynch and Shanahan finally addressed a glaring need that has hampered the team throughout the duo’s regime in San Francisco. In 2018, Ford was Pro Football Focus’ top edge rusher, with a pass rush grade of 91.0, and an NFL-leading 84 quarterback pressures:
Now former #Chiefs Edge Defender Dee Ford is headed to @PFF_49ers
— PFF KC Chiefs (@PFF_Chiefs) March 13, 2019
-91.0 pass rush grade in 2018 (#1, ED)
-84 Total Presssures in 2018 (#1, ED)
-16 Sacks in 2018 (#2, ED)
-87.7 overall grade in 2018 (#11, ED)
-Other 2018 Grades: 67.6 run D, 67.9 tackling, 57.8 coverage pic.twitter.com/WE2jh9xxeD
A first-round draft pick in 2014, Ford racked up 13 sacks and a league-leading seven forced fumbles for the Chiefs last season, which earned the edge rusher his first Pro Bowl honors:
| Games | Def Interceptions | Fumbles | Tackles | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Age | Tm | Pos | No. | G | GS | Int | Yds | TD | Lng | PD | FF | Fmb | FR | Yds | TD | Sk | Comb | Solo | Ast | TFL | QBHits | Sfty | AV |
| 2014 | 23 | KAN | OLB | 55 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1.5 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 1 | ||||||
| 2015 | 24 | KAN | OLB | 55 | 14 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4.0 | 23 | 21 | 2 | 6 | 11 | 3 | ||||||
| 2016 | 25 | KAN | OLB | 55 | 15 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10.0 | 38 | 25 | 13 | 12 | 17 | 7 | |
| 2017 | 26 | KAN | OLB | 55 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.0 | 13 | 11 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 4 | |
| 2018* | 27 | KAN | OLB | 55 | 16 | 16 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13.0 | 55 | 42 | 13 | 13 | 29 | 8 | ||||||
| Career | 67 | 41 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30.5 | 136 | 102 | 34 | 36 | 69 | 23 |
Provided by Pro-Football-Reference.com: View Original Table
Meanwhile, the 49ers managed just 37 sacks and seven total turnovers in 2018.
Niner Noise will continue to update our live free agent tracker with the latest San Francisco 49ers signings, news, contract details and analysis throughout the 2019 NFL free agency period.