It didn’t take long for the 2020 edition of the free agent frenzy to set the NFL world ablaze, with several of the league’s prominent players relocating to new destinations ahead of the upcoming season. The San Francisco 49ers were among the early movers and shakers in free agency, executing a blockbuster deal on the opening day that awarded them the 13th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. This piece outlines the nuts and bolts of Monday’s transaction and examines the 49ers options at the 13th pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.
The DeForest Buckner trade
On the heels of securing edge rusher Arik Armstead for another five years on Monday, the San Francisco 49ers later made one of the bigger splashes to kick off free agency, by sending mammoth defensive tackle DeForest Buckner to the Indianapolis Colts for the 13th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. On the surface, losing Buckner, a mainstay on San Francisco’s formidable defensive front, would appear to be an insurmountable loss to a defense that was largely responsible for their team’s Super Bowl berth last season.
Taken with the seventh overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, Buckner preceded to start 15 games as a rookie, racking up 73 tackles and six sacks. He was named to the PFWA All-Rookie team for his standout performance.
Buckner went on to start the next 48 games for San Francisco, amassing 190 tackles, 22.5 sacks, 10 passes defended, and three forced fumbles over that span. The 6-foot-7, 295-pound interior mauler earned his first Pro Bowl selection in 2018 after compiling a career-high 12 sacks, and, due to his dominance in the trenches during their Super Bowl run, earned second-team All-Pro honors in 2019.
While few would question Buckner’s impact in the trenches over the past four seasons, the Oregon alum expressed his desire to be paid similarly to Aaron Donald — also known as the highest-paid defensive tackle in the NFL. Given the fact that Armstead received a five-year, $85 million contract on Monday, the reality is that 49ers would be hard-pressed to meet Buckner’s demands, hence why they got out in front of the situation and added value.
With Armstead, Nick Bosa, Dee Ford, Solomon Thomas, Jullian Taylor, and Ronald Blair already in the fold for next season, and with the 2020 NFL Draft looming, Buckner was deemed expendable.
Indianapolis, who just released starting defensive tackle Margus Hunt on Monday, gets an immense upgrade at the position in Buckner. The Colts, who have seemingly been deficient against the run for years, added a disruptive interior penetrator who thrives against both the run and the pass. Buckner, who just turned 26, will team with linebackers Darius Leonard and Bobby Okereke, safety Malik Hooker, and cornerbacks Rock Ya-Sin and Kenny Moore to represent the Colts’ defensive building blocks of the future.
49ers options at 13th pick in the 2020 NFL Draft
Prior to the Buckner trade, the San Francisco 49ers had very few needs.
The vaunted defense that propelled the team to the Super Bowl merely a month ago was in place to make another run. In fact, aside from a handful of offensive upgrades, the 49ers were positioned to reprise their role as the class of the NFC.
The 49ers, who currently own the 13th pick and the 31st pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, have plenty of ammo to bolster areas of need. For example, it is feasible that South Carolina defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw, a top-10 player in this class by my estimation, is still available when San Francisco is on the clock. Adding a player of Kinlaw’s caliber effectively mitigates the loss of Buckner by replacing him with a younger future All-Pro that projects as a three-down defender at the next level.
Kinlaw, at 6-foot-5, 324 pounds, is armed with violent hands and an impressive burst off the ball to go along with a dominant bull rush and impressive agility for a player of his build. He would be a plug-and-play starter from day one.
Of course, the 49ers could opt to add more offensive weaponry for quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo with the 13th pick, especially if they lose Emmanuel Sanders, potentially targeting the electric Henry Ruggs to infuse some much-needed speed on the perimeter. It’s also likely that Ruggs’ Alabama running mate Jerry Jeudy — or even Oklahoma’s CeeDee Lamb — will still be on the board as well. This could ultimately come down to preference for San Francisco, though I’m of the belief that Ruggs would be the best fit of the talented trio.
If wide receiver truly is the pick at #13, the 49ers could still conceivably come away with a top defensive tackle if they so choose, as Neville Gallimore and Ross Blacklock figure into late first-round conversation. Regardless of what the 49ers opt to do, the team is in prime position to add instant producers with both first-round picks, which essentially makes Monday’s trade a home run — on paper at least.