The San Francisco 49ers missed the playoffs once again last season after being hyped up throughout the entire offseason. It was a disappointing year that saw starting quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo go down with a torn ACL early in the year. San Francisco was unable to bounce back from that injury.
Heading into the offseason, it was obvious that John Lynch wanted to bring in more talent. He was aggressive in free agency, on the trade market, and had a great draft as well.
One of the biggest offseason additions for the 49ers was star pass rusher Dee Ford, who was acquired from the Kansas City Chiefs for a second-round pick.
Last season with the Chiefs, Ford ended up recording 55 total tackles to go along with 13 sacks and seven forced fumbles. It was a huge season and the 49ers could not be more excited to have him on the roster. Ford is excited for his new start as well.
San Francisco wants to get to the quarterback more in 2019 and they have the right guy for the job. If Ford plays up to his potential, the 49ers' defense is going to take a huge step forward.
All of that being said, let's take a look at the three main goals that Ford needs to focus on accomplishing in 2019.
3. Rack Up 15 Sacks
First and foremost, Ford needs to focus on doing exactly what the 49ers acquired him to do. Getting to the quarterback is the only job that Ford needs to focus on. He is capable of doing much more, but he needs to improve San Francisco's pass rush.
Racking up at least 15 sacks would be an extremely successful season for Ford. If he can get to that number, the 49ers will be more than happy about the trade they made to acquire him.
2. Become More of a Leader on the Field
Secondly, the 49ers are going to need a true leader on the defensive side of the football. Ford is likely their best player on that side of the ball and it's time for him to step up as their main leader.
In the past, Ford has mostly focused on his game and he has had veterans around him to lead the defense. He had Eric Berry and Justin Houston in Kansas City, but he doesn't have that luxury this year. San Francisco needs him to put up big numbers, but they need him to become their defensive leader as well.
1. Force at Least Seven Turnovers
Finally, Ford was one of the best in the NFL at forcing fumbles last season. San Francisco ranked dead last in the league in takeaways last season, which isn't going to get the job done. With Ford now on the roster, they are hoping to see their name rise up the list to at least the top 15.
Forcing at least seven turnovers would be an ideal mark for Ford. The rest of the team will have to step up around him to reach the goal of being top 15, but Ford can help his teammates as well by getting to the quarterback. If he can match last years total of seven forced fumbles, the 49ers are going to be in a much better position.
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