DeForest Buckner

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• 49ers' DeForest Buckner: Headed back to San Francisco

  8H ago • By RotoWire

  The 49ers acquired Buckner from the Colts on Tuesday in exchange for a 2027 fourth-round draft pick, Tom Pelissero of Netflix reports. Buckner is the second major piece to be dealt away by the 2-5 Colts, as eight-time Pro Bowl guard Quenton Nelson was shipped to Seattle earlier in the day. Selected by the 49ers with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, Buckner will return to the team with whom he spent the first four seasons of his career. Buckner, a three-time Pro Bowl selection, should immediately step into a starting role at defensive tackle, with his addition and the impending return of edge rusher Nick Bosa (knee) bolstering a defensive line that has been hit hard by injuries during the first half of the season.

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• Colts' DeForest Buckner: Gets to Stroud twice in Week 3 win

  27D ago • By RotoWire

  Buckner registered seven tackles (two solo), including 1.5 sacks, during the Colts' 19-17 win over the Texans in Week 3. Buckner was responsible for two of the Colts' three sacks on C.J. Stroud in Sunday's win. The veteran defensive lineman got to Stroud early in the first quarter for a four-yard sack before Buckner combined with Adetomiwa Adebawore for a two-yard takedown of the Texans QB late in the second quarter. Buckner has logged at least 0.5 sacks in each of the first three games of the regular season and is up to 3.0 sacks on the year, which leads the Colts and is tied for eighth-most in the NFL.

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• Colts' DeForest Buckner: Cleared to practice

  07/28/2026 • By RotoWire

  Buckner (neck) has been cleared to practice, James Boyd of The Athletic reports. Per Mike Chappell of Fox 59 News Indianapolis, Buckner, who had surgery Dec. 31 on a herniated disc in his neck, is likely to be eased back in to the mix as training camp progresses. Now that he's been cleared to return to the field, the 32-year-old, who is coming off a 2025 regular season in which he recorded 47 tackles and 4.0 sacks in 10 games, is set to reprise his starting defensive tackle role for the Colts.

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• Colts' DeForest Buckner: Officially placed on IR

  12/27/2025 • By RotoWire

  The Colts placed Buckner (neck) on injured reserve Saturday. Head coach Shane Steichen said on Friday that Buckner, who had just returned from a stint on IR in Week 16, aggravated his neck injury and will undergo a procedure in Week 18, per Amanda Foster of the team's official site. He initially injured his neck in Week 9. The veteran defensive tackle will be eligible to return from IR in late January if the Colts advance far enough into the playoffs, though it's unclear whether his recovery timetable would allow for that, plus the team has only a very slim chance of sneaking into the postseason.

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• Colts' DeForest Buckner: Heading to IR

  12/26/2025 • By RotoWire

  Buckner (neck) will be placed on season-ending injured reserve after aggravating a herniated disc in his neck during the Week 16 loss to the 49ers, Joel A. Erickson of The Indianapolis Star reports. The 31-year-old returned from a five-game absence in the Week 16 loss and recorded five total tackles across 44 defensive snaps. However, it now appears he aggravated his neck issue and will miss the remainder of the season. Across 10 appearances in 2025, Buckner tallied 47 total tackles, including 4.0 sacks. Grover Stewart and Neville Gallimore will likely operate as the Colts' top interior defensive linemen while Buckner is out.

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