San Francisco 49ers: 3 way-too-early needs in 2022 NFL Draft
By Peter Panacy
No. 2: 49ers need a healthy pass-rusher to pair with Nick Bosa
The Niners are essentially stuck with EDGE Dee Ford this season, who would cost nearly $9 million in dead money with zero cap savings if cut in 2021, per Over the Cap. And even with a pre-June 1 cut next year, San Francisco would be on the hook for nearly $10 million in 2022 with only $2 million in cap savings.
A post-June 1 cut next year is much more beneficial, particularly in the wake of Ford playing just 22 percent of defensive snaps in 2019 and seeing just one game in 2020 because of a season-ending back injury.
Whatever Ford’s future is, it’s certainly unsustainable to financially keep Ford while eventually having to pay out up-and-coming EDGE Nick Bosa, who’ll be eligible for a massive contract extension in 2022.
One of the best ways the 49ers can field two top-level pass-rushers on the field at the same time is to have one of them on a rookie contract, meaning going after a quality pass-rusher at some point early in the 2022 NFL Draft would be a smart move.
This year’s draft had a lot of pass-rushing depth. But unlike Bosa and the 2019 class, there wasn’t one surefire stud who’d be an immediate-impact player without any major question marks.
In 2022, however, both the depth and talent could be there, meaning the Niners may be able to land a high-end pass-rusher on day two of the draft with ease.
They’ll need one.