Colts Trade DeForest Buckner to 49ers for Fourth-Round Pick
The Indianapolis Colts have traded star defensive tackle DeForest Buckner to the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for a 2027 fourth-round draft pick, pending a physical. The move concludes Buckner's nearly seven-year tenure in Indianapolis and marks a significant shift as the Colts embrace a roster rebuild.
Buckner’s departure follows a 2-5 start for Indianapolis and comes just a week after the franchise fired general manager Chris Ballard. The 32-year-old veteran is on an expiring contract and had expressed visible frustration with the team's ongoing struggles. Meanwhile, the trade brings Buckner back to San Francisco, the organization that originally selected him seventh overall in the 2016 NFL Draft before trading him to the Colts in 2020.
Over seven games this season, Buckner has recorded 31 tackles, four sacks, and three pass breakups following a successful recovery from neck surgery. The transaction gives the defensive lineman an opportunity to contend for a Super Bowl, while providing the Colts with additional draft capital for the future.
