49ers training camp: 4 players who must perform well

No. 2: 49ers EDGE Dee Ford

The 49ers received so-so production from EDGE Dee Ford in 2019 after acquiring him from the Kansas City Chiefs for a second-round draft pick.

On one hand, Ford recorded 6.5 sacks, which ranked fourth on the Niners defense last year. But Ford was also banged up with both knee and hamstring issues, limiting him to 11 games and just over 22 percent of defensive snaps. And when Ford was on the field, he wasn’t quite the player San Francisco expected him to be when it traded for him.

Even according to Ford, who explained such to reporters last Thursday:

"You saw glimpses of me, but not to that full throttle. [Defensive line coach Kris Kocurek] always points out that I’m a great closer, but my get-off, my actual get-off, the initial get-off from when the ball is snapped can be a lot better. If you are glued into the ball every single play, a lot of defensive linemen, anybody who plays on the front is going to be a whole lot better."

The 49ers’ salary cap situation in 2021 could make Ford a cap casualty a little less than a year from now, so the 29-year-old edge rusher will be under plenty of pressure to showcase his talents as soon as possible.