49ers' Dee Ford Downgraded to out vs. Jets with Neck Injury

The San Francisco 49ers will be without yet another key player Sunday against the New York Jets, as the team downgraded defensive end Dee Ford from questionable to out Saturday.

Ford was a non-participant at practice Thursday and Friday because of a neck injury, and he will not be available to the Niners for their Week 2 road clash with the Jets.

Tight end George Kittle was also ruled out for the game, while wide receiver Deebo Samuel and cornerback Richard Sherman will miss it as well after being placed on injured reserve.

The 29-year-old Ford was traded to the 49ers prior to last season after spending the first five years of his NFL career with the Kansas City Chiefs. He finished with 6.5 sacks in just 11 games last season, ranking him fourth on the team in that category behind Arik Armstead, Nick Bosa and DeForest Buckner.

Ford is the team's No. 3 returning sack artist, as Buckner was traded to the Indianapolis Colts during the offseason.

While Ford did not get the start for San Francisco in Week 1, he played 46 snaps and finished with three tackles.

Ford hasn't been as productive with the Niners as he was with the Chiefs, but he boasts an impressive resume that includes one Pro Bowl nod and two seasons with double-digit sacks, including a career-high 13 in 2018.

With Ford out for Sunday's game, Bosa and Armstead will start and likely see even more playing time than usual. Kerry Hyder, who had a career-high eight sacks with the Detroit Lions in 2016, will figure more heavily into the defensive end rotation as well.

Sunday's game is a huge one for the reigning NFC champions since they lost to the Arizona Cardinals in Week 1 and can ill afford a loss to a Jets team that looked terrible for long stretches against the Buffalo Bills in Week 1.

Although the Niners defense is ailing to some degree, it should be aided by the fact that New York will be without running back Le'Veon Bell and wide receivers Jamison Crowder and Denzel Mims because of injury Sunday.