It was a big day for the San Francisco 49ers. As predicted, an elite member of the defensive line was traded, while another was signed to an extension. It was just the opposite of what most people thought.
The day began with the 49ers signing defensive lineman Arik Armstead to a five-year contract extension worth up to $85 million. Shortly after that, the 49ers shocked the world (or at least the Bay and the NFL world) by trading defensive tackle DeForest Buckner to the Indianapolis Colts for the 13th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.
Buckner, who was this year’s Bill Walsh (49ers MVP) winner, is about as elite as they get both on-and-off the field and it’s a major loss for the 49ers in both respects. But, Buckner is expensive, signing a report five-year, $21 million a season contract with the Colts. He is worth every penny and then some, but with the trade, the 49ers now have two first-round picks and money to spend to address their needs at wide receiver, cornerback and offensive line.
The NFL is a business, and the 49ers are in the business of competing. And if the NFC West wasn’t tough enough, the Arizona Cardinals and their quarterback Kyler Murray just got one hell of a wide receiver in DeAndre Hopkins. The 49ers lost one hell of a defensive tackle in Buckner, but in doing so, they may just be able to stay on top of the NFC West and the NFC.
Take good care of Buckner Indy. He’s priceless.