5 easy cuts that would save 49ers over $40 million in cap space
By Peter Panacy
49ers Cut No. 4: EDGE Dee Ford
Cap Space Saved: $7 million ($4.9 million in dead money with post-June 1 designation)
The next potential cut on this list gets a bit tricky, as there’s a possible injury association involved.
EDGE Dee Ford, who still miraculously managed to come back from a devastating back issue suffered in 2020, nevertheless appeared in only six games last year before going back on injured reserve with the same injury.
Whether or not Ford plays again because of his injury is anyone’s guess, but that 2019 trade for Ford has to go down as one of the worst John Lynch has engineered in his tenure as 49ers general manager.
Ford is technically under contract through 2022 with a voided year in 2023, and the Niners can’t simply cut him without having to navigate the murky waters of an injury settlement, which will likely be the case.
According to the straight-up numbers, though, San Francisco can generate $7 million in cap space if it somehow manages to wait until after June 1 to part ways with Ford, even though that would create a notable $4.9 million in dead money regardless.
Still, if Ford isn’t even playing for the 49ers next year, it’s best to recoup whatever financial assets possible and distribute that money elsewhere on the roster regardless of the dead-money hit.