Colts trade DeForest Buckner to 49ers for 2027 pick, per DAZN News Italia

The Indianapolis Colts traded defensive tackle DeForest Buckner to the San Francisco 49ers on Tuesday in exchange for a fourth-round selection in the 2027 NFL Draft, as reported by DAZN News Italia.

DeForest Buckner Returns to San Francisco

Buckner heads back to the franchise that originally selected him seventh overall out of Oregon in the 2016 NFL Draft, where he spent his first four professional seasons before a March 2020 trade sent him to Indianapolis for the No. 13 pick. The 32-year-old defensive lineman is in the final year of his contract and carried a $26.6 million salary cap hit, leaving $10.8 million in dead money on the Colts’ books according to Over the Cap. Having received a $10 million roster bonus in March, Buckner is owed slightly under $8 million for the remainder of the season, and league observers noted he was all but certain to depart in free agency ahead of the November 10 NFL trade deadline if no deal materialized.

A Roster Reset in Indianapolis

Tuesday’s transaction marked the second major deal completed by the Colts within hours, following the trade of guard Quenton Nelson to the Seattle Seahawks earlier in the day. Interim general manager Ed Dodds is stockpiling draft assets to rebuild the organization following the recent dismissal of general manager Chris Ballard. The franchise sits at 2-5 following three consecutive losses, prompting a shift toward future draft capital, including third- and fourth-round picks in 2027 alongside a fifth-round selection in 2028. Buckner voiced open frustration over the team’s recurring struggles following consecutive losses to the Tennessee Titans and Minnesota Vikings, telling reporters he was tired of the same cycle year after year.

Trade: Colts are sending three-time Pro-Bowl DT DeForest Buckner back to the 49ers, the team that made him a 2016 first-round pick before dealing him to Indianapolis in 2020, per me and @rapsheet. Now Buckner returns to San Francisco, fortifying the 49ers defensive line. pic.twitter.com/7sPd4Oei20

— https://x.com/AdamSchefter/status/2115182685547368706

Defensive Reinforcements for the 49ers

San Francisco general manager John Lynch told reporters Tuesday that the 6-1 49ers anticipate getting All-Pro pass rusher Nick Bosa back from a calf injury following the team’s Week 8 bye. Bosa has been sidelined since injuring his calf in practice before Week 3, and the team expects to field both Buckner and Bosa on the defensive line when they face the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 9. DAZN News Italia noted that Buckner joins a defense featuring Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw, reuniting with Bosa after the two played together during Bosa’s 2019 rookie campaign. The acquisition addresses San Francisco’s pass-rush needs after a stretch without sacks from the position through Week 7, while adding a veteran presence who has accumulated 676 combined tackles, 73 sacks, three Pro Bowl selections, and First-Team All-Pro honors in 2020 across his career.

Will the reconstructed San Francisco defensive front integrate Buckner and propel the team deep into the postseason hunt as the November trade deadline approaches?