49ers reunite with DeForest Buckner in trade with Colts

San Francisco is bringing the defensive tackle back to the Bay Area in a trade with the Colts, sending a 2027 fourth-round pick to Indianapolis to land Buckner. NFL insiders Jordan Schultz, Tom Pelissero of the Ringer, Adam Schefter of ESPN and NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport all broke the news about the trade around the same time.

Buckner was originally drafted by the 49ers with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft. A stalwart up front, he was a Pro Bowler in 2018 and a second-team All-Pro player in 2019, the first year the 49ers went to the Super Bowl under the Kyle Shanahan-John Lynch regime. But as Buckner was set to enter the final year of his rookie contract and expecting a major payday, the 49ers instead traded him to the Colts for the No. 13 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.

Buckner got the extension from Indy that paid him $21 million annually. The Niners used the first-rounder to try to draft his replacement in Javon Kinlaw. But as Buckner continued to shine for the Colts, Kinlaw was never able to match his production with the 49ers and became a focal point of ridicule for his underwhelming play. Kinlaw was allowed to leave in free agency after his rookie deal expired and currently plays for the Commanders.

The move comes just a few hours after the Colts dealt perennial All-Pro guard Quenton Nelson to the Seahawks, San Francisco’s division rival. In what is clearly a fire sale in Indianapolis, the 49ers made sure to swoop in and bring Buckner back while paying less than Seattle did for Nelson (the Hawks sent the Colts a 2027 third-round pick and a 2028 fifth-round pick, according to reports).

According to Pelissero, the 49ers will pay all of the nearly $8 million remaining on Buckner’s contract, which is set to expire after this season. The move has already been celebrated by George Kittle, one of the longest-tenured 49ers, who actually played with Buckner when he was in red and gold.

DEFOOOOO THE BOYS ARE BACK @DeForestBuckner @JuiceCheck44 @49ers https://t.co/jUoMNJ96Dx

– George Kittle (@gkittle46) October 27, 2026

The 49ers acquired Buckner at the start of their bye week, so he won’t be back in a 49ers uniform until Nov. 8, when the 49ers host the Raiders at 1:25 p.m. at Levi’s Stadium.

This breaking news story has been updated.

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This article originally published at 49ers reunite with DeForest Buckner in trade with Colts.