DeForest Buckner Staying Put With Indy
All offseason the Indianapolis Colts have worked to retain their players. Today is no different, as it was announced that DeForest Buckner is staying put with Indy. He is viewed as the anchor of their defense. The Colts posted about that fact on their x.com account. Buckner was acquired in a trade with the San Francisco 49ers in 2020 for a first round pick. Since that time he has been named a first-team AP All-Pro and selected to two Pro Bowls. In addition, he had seven sacks, 10 tackles for a loss and 18 quarterback hits every year that he’s been with the Colts.
His 2023 season was very productive, racking up excellent stats. He played in all 17 games, totaling eight sacks with a career-high 81 tackles. And he recorded 11 tackles for a loss, 18 quarterback hits, two forced fumbles and seven pass break-ups. One of the memorable plays he made came in the Colts’ season opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars. They were losing 17-14 when Buckner strip-sacked quarterback Trevor Lawrence. Jaguars running back Tank Bigsby picked up the ball, and Zaire Franklin punched it out. Buckner scooped it up and scored the 26 yard go-ahead touchdown.
Plays like that no doubt factored into Indy working hard to get an extension done. Per Adam Schefter, it’s a two-year deal for $46 million and runs through the 2026 season. But besides his playmaking abilities, he is also a leader. He was voted a team captain in each of the last three seasons, and also earned captaincies in 2018 and 2019 with the 49ers. General Manager Chris Ballard had high praise for the defensive tackle.
DeForest Buckner is staying put with Indy
“DeForest has been the epitome of what it means to be a Colt the last four years,” general manager Chris Ballard said. “As one of the premier defensive tackles in the league, he is a destructive force on our defensive line. DeForest is one of the pillars of our locker room. His hard work, consistency and approach to the game are vital to the success of our team. We are fortunate to have DeForest and the caliber of man he is representing our organization. I’m excited for him and his family on this much deserved contract extension.”
The Colts also locked down some other guys. DT Taven Bryan, S Julian Blackmon, and RB Trey Sermon have all been re-signed. And they signed veteran free agent QB Joe Flacco. Therefore, it looks like the Colts want to win with the guys they have, plus a veteran free agent for insurance.
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