Colts ‘never all that enamored’ with pick No. 13, saw more value in 49ers’ DeForest Buckner

Apparently, trading the No. 13 overall pick to the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for defensive tackle DeForest Buckner wasn't a tough decision for the Indianapolis Colts. In fact, the AFC South team was never too excited about what they could do with that first-round pick, making the trade for one of the game's best interior defenders a no-brainer.

This all comes from Zak Keefer of The Athletic, who explains that the Colts weighed the risk versus the reward of the trade, and felt very comfortable with the 49ers' asking price. Some might find that surprising considering many saw (and maybe still see) quarterback as one of Indianapolis' biggest needs heading into the draft.

"But the more the conversations on West 56th Street dragged on, the simpler it became for the Colts' chief decision-makers: this was the guy," wrote Keefer. "DeForest Buckner was the player their defense needed and would need for the next five years. This was the time to do it. Never all that enamored with their spot in the coming draft — the Colts were set to pick 13th, and they expected most of the top quarterback prospects to be gone in the top 10 — this trade, the more they thought about it, was too good to pass up."

The Colts figured the 49ers might be able to secure more draft equity from another team, had they announced they were shopping the Pro Bowl defender. Indianapolis felt it possibly could have picked up a second-round pick in addition to a first-rounder, so the team jumped on the opportunity, according to Keefer.

"At the end of the day, it was hard for the Colts to picture whomever they got at 13 giving them what Buckner will for the next five years, perhaps longer," Keefer added.

A day after the trade, the Colts found a placeholder quarterback in veteran Philip Rivers, signing him to a one-year deal and giving the team more time to figure out a long-term strategy for the position.

What does this say for the 49ers? Could they have gotten more for Buckner from another team? Maybe. We do know, however, that general manager John Lynch and his staff were quietly working on the potential trade since around the Super Bowl. Maybe the Colts had the best offer among the defensive-tackle-needy teams.

Considering the Colts didn't sound too enamored with the pick, did the 49ers overvalue it? Not necessarily. The two teams' needs are very different. San Francisco isn't looking for its quarterback of the future. The Colts probably were and felt they wouldn't have been able to get the guy they wanted at No. 13.

The 49ers, however, could use the selection on any number of positions. The receiver-needy team could find its guy at No. 13 in a draft that is deep at the position. On Tuesday, ESPN analyst Mel Kiper projected Jerry Jeudy of Alabama falling to the 49ers in his latest mock draft, and then had the team going with a cornerback with its second first-rounder.

The trade allows the 49ers to address a couple of positions in the first round and free up some salary-cap room for the future, perhaps making tight end George Kittle's next contract more manageable. San Francisco has to hit on those first-rounders, though, assuming it doesn't trade down, because the team doesn't own another selection until the fifth round.

H/t to Kevin Hickey of Colts Wire for the find (via Patrick Tulini)