DeForest Buckner is headed to Indianapolis. The 49ers traded the Pro Bowl lineman for a first-round pick to the Indianapolis Colts. The pick is the thirteenth overall in the draft. The 49ers have had a busy day. First, they re-signed Arik Armstead to a five-year deal and now they’ve completed this trade with the Indianapolis Colts.
DeForest Buckner had 62 tackles last season to go along with seven and a half sacks. In 2018 he had twelve sacks and racked up 67 tackles. He’s a force on the line and not only pressures the quarterback but is a run-stopping force as well. The trade frees up just over twelve million dollars in cap space for the 49ers. They now have an estimated 25 million to spend via free agency and the draft.
The Colts defense saw improvements in 2019. The addition of DeForest Buckner immediately makes that unit better. Add to that their emerging star linebackers Darius Leonard and Anthony Walker and the Colts are strong up the middle. The Colts pick up his massive contract, which will pay him close to 21 million dollars this season in total. He’s the second-highest-paid defensive tackle ever, behind Aaron Donald of the Los Angeles Rams. The Colts are not expected to be done with free agency as they are rumored to be in the market for a veteran quarterback along the lines of Philip Rivers.
Who will the 49ers take at 13?
It will be interesting to see what the 49ers do with the thirteenth pick in the draft. Conventional wisdom says they will select a wide receiver or cornerback. This is a very deep draft for wide receivers, so it’s possible they go defensive back first. They now possess two picks in the first round, but after that, they won’t select again until the fifth round. Perhaps they move their 31st pick and stock up on some draft capital in the middle rounds.
DeForest Buckner is not only been very good from a statistical standpoint, but he ranks fourth since 2017 in double teams. He’s also extremely durable as he’s played among the most snaps in the past four seasons from the defensive tackle position.
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