49ers vs. Lions: 3 Niners who set the tone with massive Week 1 game

No. 3: 49ers EDGE Dee Ford

It is hard to say if the 49ers got what they wanted when they traded for Dee Ford in 2019.

Ford produced well while battling injury during the team’s 2019 Super Bowl run, and then he was sidelined for almost all of the 2020 season with a back injury.

Ford has yet to be fully healthy for San Francisco, but before coming to the Bay Area, he was one of the NFL’s best pass-rushers. Ford has been working his way back to health and will be playing against the Lions, although he is on a pitch count.

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Currently, Ford is listed behind Arik Armstead on the 49ers’ depth chart, but Ford figures to be a key rotational piece to the pass rush. With Nick Bosa rushing across from him, Ford will be in a great position to prove he is still one of the NFL’s elite pass-rushers. Ford will likely be lining up at left defensive end, which means he will be spending most of his time across from Lions rookie right tackle Penei Sewell.

Although Sewell was regarded as one of the best offensive line prospects in recent memory, he has had a terrible preseason, finishing as the Lions’ worst-rated rookie, per Pro Football Focus. Ford should be able to dominate Sewell even if he is not at his best, and by all accounts, Ford is at his best.

Expect Ford to make big plays when he sees the field on Sunday, and establish himself as a key component of San Francisco’s pass rush for the 2021 season.

The 49ers should get off to a great start to 2021 against a rebuilding Lions squad.