The San Francisco 49ers announced on Wednesday they have acquired DL Dee Ford from the Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for a 2020 draft pick and signed him to a five-year deal. Additionally, the team signed LB Kwon Alexander to a four-year deal.
A press conference will be held on Thursday at 12 p.m. PT in the Levi's Stadium auditorium with General Manager John Lynch, Head Coach Kyle Shanahan and the players.
Ford (6-2, 252) was originally drafted by the Chiefs as the 23rd overall selection of the 2014 NFL Draft. Over the past five seasons (2014-18), he appeared in 67 games (41 starts) and registered 137 tackles, 30.5 sacks, nine forced fumbles and six passes defensed. He also saw action in five postseason contests (four starts) and added 13 tackles, 1.5 sacks and one forced fumble.
In 2018, Ford registered career highs in games started (16), tackles (55), sacks (13.0) and forced fumbles (seven) while earning his first Pro Bowl selection. His seven forced fumbles ranked tied for first in the NFL (J.J. Watt, Houston), while his 13.0 sacks were tied for the seventh in the league.
A 27-year-old native of Odenville, AL, Ford attended Auburn University (2009-13) where he appeared in 52 games (20 starts) and registered 93 tackles, 20.5 sacks, 27.5 tackles for losses, three forced fumbles, two passes defensed and one interception.
Alexander (6-1, 227) spent the past four seasons (2015-18) with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after the team selected him in the fourth round (124th overall) of the 2015 NFL Draft. With the Buccaneers, he started in all 46 games in which he appeared and registered 380 tackles, 22 passes defensed, 7.0 sacks, six interceptions (one returned for a touchdown), six forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. Since 2015, he is one of four players in the NFL to register at least 300 tackles, 6.0 sacks and six interceptions (Thomas Davis, Luke Kuechly and Harrison Smith).
As a rookie in 2015, Alexander earned PFWA All-Rookie honors after registering 93 tackles, nine passes defensed, 3.0 sacks, two interceptions, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. In 2016, he registered 145 tackles, including an NFL-high 108 solo tackles, according to gamebook statistics, while adding 3.0 sacks, one interception, seven passes defensed, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. The following season, Alexander earned Pro Bowl honors after notching 97 tackles, four passes defensed, three interceptions and one forced fumble. In 2018, he started all six games in which he appeared and finished with 45 tackles, two passes defensed, two forced fumbles and 1.0 sack.
A 24-year-old native of Oxford, AL, Alexander attended Louisiana State University, where he appeared in 32 games (23 starts) over three seasons before declaring for the NFL Draft following to his junior year. He finished his collegiate career with 156 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, six passes defensed, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and 1.5 sacks. As a junior in 2014, he started all 12 games and registered 90 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, 1.5 sacks and one pass defensed, earning Second-Team All-SEC honors from the Associated Press.
