49ers downgrade Dee Ford, rule him out against New York Jets

SANTA CLARA — Defensive end Dee Ford’s neck injury prompted the 49ers to downgrade his status Saturday and rule him out of Sunday’s game at the New York Jets.

Ford played in last Sunday’s opening loss, practiced Wednesday and then reported neck spasms that led to him missing the next two days of practice.

Coach Kyle Shanahan said Friday that Ford was “meeting with guys and trying to make sure it’s safe and everything. … We’re just trying to play it slow here and see how it goes for the next two days.”

It’s unknown if Ford flew with the 49ers Friday for their extended road trip, which will feature games against the New York Jets and Giants, with a layover in between at The Greenbrier Resort next week.

Other would-be starters who will not play: tight end George Kittle (knee), cornerback Richard Sherman (calf) and wide receiver Deebo Samuel (foot).

Also Saturday, the 49ers recalled sixth-year veteran Hronnis Grasu from the practice squad. He started at center in Sunday’s 24-20 opening loss to the Arizona Cardinals in place of Ben Garland, who missed the game with a high-ankle sprain. Garland practiced in full this week and is expected to play.

With Ford unavailable, the 49ers’ edge rushers likely will be Nick Bosa and Arik Armstead, with Kerry Hyder as the top backup while Solomon Thomas and Kevin Givens are options to kick outside, too.

Ford had 6 1/2 sacks while limited to 11 regular-season games last year because of knee tendinitis and a December hamstring strain. His only playoff sack came in the divisional-round win over Minnesota. He restructured his contract before the season, reducing his base salary to $910,000 by converting $12.8 million into a bonus and clearing $9.5 million in salary cap room.

Just last week, Ford professed a strong urge to make it through all 16 games this season. That won’t be the case. Just last month, Ford missed two weeks of practice because of a calf strain that threatened to impact his Achilles.

He got traded to the 49ers last year from the Kansas City Chiefs for a second-round draft pick, then knee tendinitis in training camp and then a Week 11 hamstring injury limited his snaps until the playoffs.

Ford’s earlier medical history:

— A back injury that limited him to six games in 2017 and required surgery.

— A medial collateral ligament tear in that left knee two weeks before his final season at Auburn in 2013. “I came back way too early. That year turned out very well,” said Ford, who had 10 1/2 sacks and got drafted 23rd overall by Kansas City.

— A torn groin in Week 3 in 2018, against the 49ers. It did not prevent him from starting every game that season and totaling a career-high 13 sacks for the Chiefs

Ford said last September: “You’d be surprised what we play through. We play through a lot of stuff.”