When the 49ers traded a 2020 2nd-round pick back in the 2019 offseason to acquire defensive end Dee Ford, most thought this was a big win for the 49ers, but it turns out that Ford hasn’t been able to stay on the field, due to nagging injuries, mainly to his back & neck, so the question of what will happen with him is really a mystery, so let’s try to figure it out.<\/p>\n
Now, Ford has restructured his contract on 2 different occasions, once before the 2020 season, which saved the 49ers a much needed $9.55 million, and then again this past offseason, which saved the team over $11 million in 2021, & over $9 million in 2022, and it wasn’t something that he had to do, as he didn’t have his deal redone like a normal restructure, he agreed to a new 2-year deal, with his 2023 year now being a void year.<\/p>\n
And the reason I say he didn’t have to do it, not only due to him eliminating the 2023 contract year, or the fact that, despite NFL teams having the ability to restructure a players contract, the player has to agree to it, basically signing it, and making it official.<\/p>\n
Ford had a $11.6 million injury guarantee in his then $16 million 2021 base salary, that would have kicked in on April 1, 2021, so the two sides reached a revised agreement, as stated above, a 2-year deal, but, as part of the deal, he got his 2021 base salary, $4 million, fully guaranteed, a $3 million signing bonus, and a $4.6 million injury guaranteed roster bonus, which is due between the 2nd & 5th day of the NFL’s waiver period, which begins the day after the super bowl, meaning, if Ford isn’t able to pass a physical, he’ll be paid that $4.6 million roster bonus, but that doesn’t mean he’s a lock to be a 49er in 2022.<\/p>\n
So, if this does indeed happen, the 49ers could post June 1 cut Ford, where his $4.6 million roster bonus, & $4,909,997 prorated bonus for 2022 would become dead money for 2022, while the remaining $4,909,999, which currently is set to be dead money in 2023, would still be dead money, but the 49ers would end up saving, before the top 51 rule, $2.4 million, compared to $2,090,001 if the 49ers were able to not pay him the $4.6 million roster bonus, but, in the latter scenario, there would be no dead money in 2023, as the remaining $9,819,996 in prorated bonus would immediately hit the 2022 salary cap.<\/p>\n
Honestly, as someone who’s defended Dee since 2019, I’m now getting to to the point where the 49ers need to seriously consider moving on from him, while he’s a dynamic EDGE when he’s on the field, the issue is, he’s never on the field, he played 11 games in 2019, only 1 in 2020, and just 6 this season, for a total of 18 games out of a possible 49 games, meaning he’s missed 31 games, nearly twice as many games as he’s played.<\/p>\n
Now, I don’t know what will happen, as I don’t know Dee Ford, or his agent, nor do I know if he can pass a physical in February, but the 49ers need to seriously look past Ford, and get another young EDGE to go opposite Nick Bosa, who is going to cost at least $30 million a year, along with the emergence of both Samson Ebukam, & Arden Key, & the potential of Charles Omenihu, who was acquired in a trade at the deadline, really have made Ford expendable.<\/p>\n