DeForest Buckner was a great 49ers defensive lineman before it was cool. Prior to the acquisitions of Dee Ford and Nick Bosa and the emergence of Arik Armstead, DeForest Buckner was the only dominant force on the 49ers defense, period.
One only must go back to Super Bowl 54 to see the importance that Buckner plays in the 49ers defense. Registering 1.5 sacks, he was a half-step away from sacking Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes on the now infamous 3rd and 15 bomb to Chiefs WR Tyreek Hill. Buckner brings havoc from the interior line and must always be accounted for by opposing offenses.
Buckner is a defensive leader and a key to sustained success for the 49ers.
2019 Performance
Buckner's statistic production saw a decrease from 2018, mostly due to the addition of Dee Ford and Nick Bosa, who scooped up the lion's share of the sacks. Still, Buckner posted a respectable 8 sacks, 33 tackles, 2 forced fumbles and 1 touchdown. Pro Football Focus graded Buckner out at a 78.8. Another player who graded similarly was Green Bay DT Kenny Clark (79.9)
2020 Cost
Bucker's cap hit will be $14 million in 2020. There are no other options available, as this is his 5th-year option on his rookie deal. This number is fully guaranteed.
Future Outlook
Extending Buckner must be one of the 49ers' top priorities. He is a much better player than free agent defensive end Arik Armstead, who is looking for a large payday himself. The 49ers line can dominate far into the future with Buckner paired alongside Bosa. Expect Buckner to be a 49er well into the 2020s.
Podcast: 49ers with Grant Cohn: Are the 49ers the favorites in the NFC with Trey Lance?
By Rohan Chakravarthi
Mar 24
Rohan Chakravarthi and Grant Cohn discuss whether the 49ers are favorites in the NFC after free agency.
The audio for the show is embedded above, while the video is available below.
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You can listen to "The Rohan Chakravarthi Show" from our
6 biggest 49ers draft mistakes of the Shanahan and Lynch era
By Rohan Chakravarthi
Mar 21
The San Francisco 49ers have been known as a team that has built throughout the draft in the Kyle Shanahan era, which has led to seasoned success throughout the head coach's tenure, with the organization reaching the NFC Championship Game three times over the past four seasons.
However, among the several draft hits that have propelled their roster to one of the league's best, there have been several mistakes that set the organization back at the time.
With the NFL Draft approaching next month, and the 49ers having another integral draft for their future success, let's revisit the five biggest draft mistakes of the Shanahan-Lynch era thus far.
Honorable Mention: Trey Lance
It feels absolutely unfair to place Trey Lance on this list at
Javon Hargrave earned a 91.1 overall Pro Football Focus grade against the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship Game. It was his second-highest grade of the season (91.5, Week 18 vs. Giants). His 92.9 pass-rush grade was also his second-highest of the season (93.1, Week 10 vs. Commanders). The Philadelphia Eagles recorded 20 total pressures that afternoon. Five came via Hargrave, tying Haason Reddick's five for the game lead.
Hargrave's season pass-rush grade of 91.1 (regular season and playoffs) was surpassed by only two interior defensive linemen—Dexter Lawrence and Chris Jones—and it wasn't even the Eagles defensive tackle's best career pass-rush grade. That came a season earlier in 2021 when he earned a 91.6 mark, the pinnacle of steadily improving
Ben Roethlisberger says 49ers reached out after Jimmy Garoppolo injury
By David Bonilla
Mar 21
The San Francisco 49ers made a call to former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger during the 2022 season after Jimmy Garoppolo went down with a broken foot. Despite rookie Brock Purdy stepping in and leading the team to a December 4 win over the Miami Dolphins, the 49ers understandably opted to look into all their options, including finding out if Roethlisberger might be interested in temporarily pausing his retirement.
"Last year, there were some truths to the Niners thing," Roethlisberger told Mark Madden at 105.9 The X,
