For San Francisco 49ers and Dee Ford, any contribution is discovered cash – San Francisco 49ers Weblog

SANTA CLARA, Calif .– Just over two years ago, Dee Ford was the San Francisco 49ers’ main off-season acquisition.

After the Niners cast a second round election to the Kansas City Chiefs, the Niners signed Ford on an $ 85 million deal with the belief that it would be a franchise centerpiece for years to come.

Now those expectations are gone, buried under a pile of injury-related stops and starts. The debilitating and often confusing back injury that cost Ford 15 games last season seems to have resolved.

Ford is back on the practice field and takes part in almost everything, even though he was limited in team practice. In fact, Ford and the Niners consider any kind of contribution from Ford this season as money back.

“This is where I was hoping he would be,” said coach Kyle Shanahan. “It’s been some time. We took a year off and he’s been here since the end of the season. I think he left in June or in the middle of July, but before that he was here about five months and really was on it worked to get there. ” at this point. So I had an idea that he would be like this. I just hope it continues. “

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Hope is the magic word for Ford as the season approaches. I hope he can continue practicing without any problems. I hope he can tear off the rust that has built up since his last game on September 13, 2020. I hope he finds a way to start the season with a good feeling and, above all, to stay that way.

Hope is not a sure thing, but it beats the alternative. In the spring, Shanahan described Ford’s injury as a “moving target,” which is why it was referred to as a neck problem, a lower back problem, and an upper spine injury at various points during the trial.

According to Ford, the first thought was a herniated L5 disc, but they couldn’t pinpoint that. Which resulted in a myriad of problems that would show up in the upper spine and then create problems below when his body tried to overcompensate. Ford now describes the injury as “a little bit of everything”.

The uncertainty surrounding the injury made for a complicated recovery. Ford is no stranger to back injuries having had two surgeries in the past, but this one was different. Ford said he and his team of doctors and coaches focused all training sessions on stability and mobility. That meant longer core work and stretching phases. Every new problem that came up was treated as it came.

During this time Ford never wavered in his desire to return. Despite online speculation that he might retire, Ford never thought of it.

“Hell no,” said Ford. “No. I put in too much work. I haven’t taped my best ball yet, so this is my life. This is what I do.”

The mental side of Ford’s recovery was a little more difficult. When the team moved to Arizona for the final month of the season, Ford went with them, clinging to hope that he might return for a stretch run. The initial 4- to 5-week diagnoses soon became 10 weeks, then 15.

Isolated at the team hotel and faced with a back injury, Ford relied on family and friends to keep his spirits up. He also spent time playing his beloved guitar and writing in his journal. He even flipped through the pages of previous journals to recall how he treated previous back problems.

All of this helped Ford get to where it is now. He spent most of the off-season in the Bay Area, working with the training staff on a daily basis and doing everything possible to strengthen his back. He and the Niners agreed on a revised contract that saved the team about $ 11 million in cap space in March to keep him out of the offseason program and prepare him for training camp.

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With the defensive end Nick Bosa also on the way back from a cruciate ligament rupture and the addition of Edge Rusher Samson Ebukam, a return from Ford, even if for 15 to 20 snaps per game, would go a long way in helping the high-priced Niners on the line of defense returns to her dominant form, which she had in 2019.

San Francisco dropped from fifth in the 2019 NFL (48) to 22nd last year (30), with Bosa and Ford teaming up for zero sacks while performing in about nine quarters in total.

“Dee has shown throughout his career that he can become a quarterback,” said Kris Kocurek, defensive line coach. “So if he’s in uniform in the first game, it’s a big shot in the arm.”

Ford says he won’t feel like he’s had a real breakthrough until he beat Quarterbacks. And although he is encouraged by his progress, Kocurek constantly reminds him that yesterday is over, tomorrow is not promised, and he only has the day ahead of him.

“My expectation is to be a little better than the day before,” said Ford. “That’s all I can do.”