The 49ers Just Bought Back DeForest Buckner on a Discount, and the Colts Are Waving the White Flag

The Indianapolis Colts just traded three-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman DeForest Buckner back to the San Francisco 49ers for a 2027 fourth-round pick. Getting a guy of Buckner's caliber for a draft pick that is currently a sophomore in college sounds like a typo until you look at the medicals.

Tom Pelissero broke the news of the reunion, sending the No. 7 overall pick from the 2016 draft back to the Bay Area a full decade later. For San Francisco, this is a classic all-in move to patch up a defense that just gave up 29 points in a weekend loss to the Atlanta Falcons.

"Tom Pelissero reported the trade, noting the reunion a decade after Buckner first arrived in San Francisco."

The bargain-bin price tag is entirely about mileage. Buckner missed seven games in 2025 with a herniated disc in his neck that required a trip to Panama for stem cells and eventual season-ending surgery. When he is actually on the field, he is a wrecking ball, averaging 8.1 sacks and 13.1 tackles for loss per 17 games over the last two seasons. If you are looking at futures markets, adding a healthy Buckner to the 49ers defensive front shifts their ceiling dramatically.

Meanwhile, Indianapolis is officially waving the white flag on 2026. The Colts are sitting at 2-5 after dropping an ugly 16-10 rock fight to the Minnesota Vikings. They went a miserable 1-6 without Buckner last year, and trading away their defensive anchor confirms they are looking at the draft board instead of the playoff picture.

The 49ers are betting that Buckner has enough tread left on the tires to make a difference in January. If his neck holds up, San Francisco just stole a premium pass rusher for pocket change. If it does not, they only gave up a Day 3 pick in a draft that is still three years away.