SANTA CLARA Weston Richburg Jersey , Calif. — The San Francisco 49ers opened the new league year Wednesday by acquiring the defensive playmaker the team was sorely lacking in edge rusher Dee Ford.The 49ers are sending a 2020 second-round pick to the Kansas City Chiefs for Ford and are giving him a five-year, $87.5 million contract, according to his agent.The Chiefs had placed the franchise tag on Ford after he had a career-high 13 sacks last season and led the NFL with seven forced fumbles. But they had questions about how he’d fit in new coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s defense and decided to trade him instead of paying him $15.4 million for this season.Ford was picked in the first round by Kansas City in 2014 but went through some growing pains as he adapted to life in the NFL and has an injury history that is cause for concern. He had 17 1/2 sacks his first four seasons and was limited to just six games in 2017 because of a back injury.But he emerged as a star this past season as a key part of a much-maligned defense that had trouble keeping up with an offense that propelled Kansas City to the AFC championship game. But his offside penalty late in that game against New England negated an interception that could have sealed a victory. The Patriots scored a TD on that drive and won the game in overtime.Ford led all edge rushers with 84 total quarterback pressures last season, according to Pro Football Focus, to go with the sacks and forced fumbles and is exactly the kind of playmaker the 49ers lacked on defense this past season.San Francisco set an NFL record for futility with just seven takeaways, including a record-low two interceptions, as a lack of an edge rusher played a big role in a 4-12 season.“You have to have a guy who can close out games, close out halves,” general manager John Lynch said at the combine when talking about the need for better pass rushers. “When you have them, they can be a difference-maker.”The 49ers haven’t had an edge rusher reach double-digits in sacks since Aldon Smith had 19 1/2 in 2012 and have the fifth-fewest overall sacks in the NFL the past six seasons. DeForest Buckner led the team with 12 sacks this past season, mostly from an interior spot.100<button class="view-gallery">View Gallery</button> Gallery:View from the sidelines: NFL cheerleaders 2018Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports | Raj Mehta Let’s take a look back at how teams around the league fared on day 1 of the NFL Draft"WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections 49ers Salary CapLevi’s Stadium Events49ers Transactions49ers Injury News49ers Press Conferences & Conference CallsNFL Draft2019 NFL Draft: 49ers picks Cassius Marsh Color Rush Jersey , mock drafts, news, rumors, analysisWinners and losers from around the NFL on Day 1 of the draftNew,33commentsLet’s take a look back at how teams around the league fared on day 1 of the NFL DraftPDTShareTweetShareShareWinners and losers from around the NFL on Day 1 of the draftChristopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY SportsIt’s hard to believe that NFL Draft is not only upon us but the first day is already in the books. We're going to take a moment to identify winners and losers from yesterday’s opening round because, well, we saw some really solid selections but also some head-scratchers (to put it lightly). Here are your “losers” and “winners” from the 1st round:LosersApr 25, 2019; Nashville, TN, USA; Daniel Jones (Duke) is selected as the number six overall pick to the New York Giants and poses for a photo with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell during the 2019 NFL Draft in Downtown Nashville. Mandatory Credit: Kirby LeeKirby Lee-USA TODAY SportsNew York GiantsDave Gettleman is calling the shots now in New York and, well https://www.49ersfanshop.com/Brock-Coyle-Jersey , it’s safe to say that things are off to a rocky start. This offseason has provided the NYG fanbase with the opportunity to see the front office trade away arguably the best receiver in the league (while in his prime, mind you), took a $20 million cap hit in the process, and then selected Duke quarterback Daniel Jones with the 6th overall pick. That’s a way to do things.The Giants had a couple of other selections in the first round (Dexter Lawrence, DT, #17 and Deandre Baker, CB, #30) which may pan out but, if we’re being honest, this league is driven by quarterbacks. To make such a questionable selection that high when you still had the likes of Dwayne Haskins on the board (more on him later) and Drew Lock falling to round 2...it kind of just makes you wonder what New York is doing.Grade: C-Atlanta FalconsAnother collection of questionable picks in the first round for a team who could have honestly done better. The Falcons filled some holes on the offensive line by drafting Chris Lindstrom (OG, #14) and Kaleb McGary (OT https://www.49ersfanshop.com , #31) - problem is, though, that they left some seemingly better talent on the board. Cody Ford and Jawaan Taylor could have both been had by Atlanta and would have been upgrades over Lindstrom and McGary. Obviously these prospects could develop into fine players but, as things stand now, it’s a swing and a miss for the Falcons.Grade: D+Arizona CardinalsWhen it comes to drafting in the NFL there is a balance between drafting for need and drafting the best-available player. If things go well then both of those things will line up and the player you select will fill a need and, hopefully, will be the best player available on your board when it comes to your selection. Arizona, having the 1st overall pick in the NFL Draft, picked a player who may turn out to be fine but it’s hard to stop thinking about what could have been. Again, this a quarterback driven league so I understand the importance of getting “your guy” and, so San Francisco 49ers Customized Jerseys , it appears as though new head coach Kliff Kingsbury has his in Kyler Murray. The thing is this is now the second year in a row the Cardinals have picked a quarterback in the top 10 of the draft. I’ve been watching Oklahoma football since I was a kid (Boomer Sooner) but, I've got to be honest: I never thought Murray was worthy of the first overall pick. Time will tell, but this one is iffy at best. And now they have to flip second year quarterback Josh Rosen for some value, which means that last year’s draft is now a bust.Grade: CWinnersWashingtonTalk about a day! There was talk of Washington trading up to #5 overall to snag Dwayne Haskins based on the idea that everyone thought that could have been an option for the Giants at #6. Not only did New York pass over him, but so did 10 other teams. Haskins fell to #15 which means that Jay Gruden got his guy and they didn’t even have to trade away draft assets to do it. Major victory right there. Also, trading back into the end of the first round to select highly-talented EDGE rusher Montez Sweat (#26 overall) definitely helps bolster what seems to now be a team on the rise.It’s going to be fun to see Haskins stick it to the Giants for the next decade or so.Grade: AApr 25, 2019; Nashville, TN, USA; Quinnen Williams (Alabama) is selected as the number three overall pick to the New York Jets in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft in Downtown Nashville. Mandatory Credit: Christopher HanewinckelChristopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY SportsNew York JetsMuch like San Francisco, there was talk that the Jets would have been interested in trading back in the draft. They didn’t, though San Francisco 49ers T-Shirts , and that should be alright because they selected arguably the best player in the draft in defensive lineman Quinnen Williams out of Alabama. He could've gone #1 overall and nobody would’ve batted an eye. He now joins the ranks of an up-and-coming team looking to make its mark in a division that, outside of New England, is wide open.Grade: A+Denver BroncosJohn Elway drafted for the present by not selecting a quarterback at #10 overall. Personally I don’t think drafting quarterbacks in the first round has really suited him well. Instead, swapping their 1st rounder with Pittsburgh’s (#20 overall) also netted them a 2nd round pick this year and a 3rd round pick next year. Denver then, again, passed on a quarterback at #20 and went with one of the best receiving tight ends in the draft, Noah Fant. And guess what? Drew Lock is still available. So is Ryan Finley. I’d say Denver did a swell job in, like I said, drafting for the present but still giving themselves options to build for the future.Grade: A-What are your thoughts after day 1 of the NFL Draft? Did we leave anyone out? Let us know in the comments below!