49ers, Dee Ford Agree to a Restructured Deal
Need a break from free agency?
The 49ers and Dee Ford have reportedly agreed to a restructured two-year deal worth $24 million, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
This news may strike you as an "out of the blue" move, especially since the 49ers are out courting free agents. What the 49ers did here was openly admit their thoughts regarding Ford. They do not believe he will pass a physical by April 1. The reason that date is key is because Ford has $11.6 million in injury guarantees that kicks in if he fails.
Considering that, it isn't much of a shock as to why the 49ers wanted to restructure his deal. They essentially acknowledge his contract being a pain on the salary cap, so they restructure it to keep his cap hit from hurting them in 2021. In a way, it is smart of the 49ers to cut their losses now in this sense.
Ford has missed 30 of the 64 regular season games the past four years.
This past season he had issues with his back that caused him to miss basically all of 2020. Now Ford's career is in question. Will he play for the 49ers ever again? Will he even step foot on a football field again?
The acquisition for him will forever be a top-five questionable move from Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch. It was a massive-swing-for-the fences move by them given Ford's injury history. Now the 49ers are in search of a new partner in crime opposite of Nick Bosa.
But at least now the restructure can aid the 49ers' efforts toward re-signing Kerry Hyder Jr.