49ers' Dee Ford: Goal Is to Be 'Great Defensive Player,' Not 'Great Pass-Rusher'

Dee Ford is holding himself to a higher standard as he begins his second season with the San Francisco 49ers. 

The defensive end, who made the Pro Bowl in 2018, no longer wants to be seen as just a threat in the pass rush. He wants offenses to fear him as an overall defensive force. 

“My goal is to be a great defensive player, not a great pass-rusher," Ford told reporters. "First, second and third down."

He isn't trending in the right direction if that's the case. 

During Ford's Pro Bowl season in 2018, the then-Kansas City Chiefs star was on the field for 87 percent of the team's defensive snaps, according to Pro Football Reference. That number dropped to 22 percent in San Francisco last year, though Ford played five fewer games and only started two contests. 

The former Auburn star finished with 14 combined tackles, 6.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and one pass deflection in 2019. It was no doubt a letdown after he posted 13 sacks and seven forced fumbled the previous year.

Still just 29 years old, Ford has plenty of time ahead of him in the NFL, but defensive players who can effectively adjust and enhance their style later in their careers are exceedingly rare. 

Ford was banged up quite a bit last year and required knee surgery for a "pretty extensive cleanup" but appears healthy to begin the 2020 campaign. That bodes well for someone who wants to regain form, but Ford is aiming higher. 

Whether or not that's even necessary for the Niners to succeed is questionable. 

On a defense boasting Nick Bosa, Javon Kinlaw, Arik Armstead, Kwon Alexander, Fred Warner and Richard Sherman, Ford doesn't need to play outside of his comfort zone to remain effective. But with the defensive end listed as a second-stringer on the depth chart, anything he can do to help secure more playing time is worth exploring. 

Especially if it makes San Francisco stronger in the long run.