The 49ers are sitting in an enviable spot at 6-0 heading into Week 7, and that position could put them in the market for a serious deadline splash. With San Francisco leading the NFC West, the team looks like one of the clearest buyers around the league.
The most obvious place to look is wide receiver, given the injuries there. But the bigger need may be right in the middle of the defense, where defensive tackle stands out as a real problem area for the 49ers.
That’s where DeForest Buckner comes into the conversation.
ESPN’s Ian Rapoport and Adam Schefter reported that the 49ers, dealing with that need at defensive tackle, "could decide to make a run at" Indianapolis Colts defensive tackle DeForest Buckner, the three-time Pro Bowler, before the trade deadline. Schefter and Rapoport added, "One team that could decide to make a run at Buckner is the San Francisco 49ers, for whom the star defensive tackle played from 2016 through 2019, according to league sources,"
Buckner is the former All-Pro and Pro Bowl defensive lineman who spent the first part of his career in San Francisco, and that past connection only adds to the appeal. The 49ers could use help on the interior more than on the edge, especially with Nick Bosa and Mykel Williams coming back.
If Buckner is truly available, he may be the strongest option on the board unless Moro Ojomo of the Philadelphia Eagles becomes a realistic trade target. But Buckner’s fit with San Francisco is obvious on paper: a familiar face, a major need, and a team with a clear path to contend.
Indianapolis is expected to be a trade deadline seller, and Buckner is in the final year of his current deal, which makes him a natural candidate to move. For the 49ers, that combination could set up the kind of deadline pursuit that makes plenty of sense.
In Other News...
Tank Dells Return Could Change More For Texans Than Just One Spot
Tank Dell is on the verge of getting back into the Texans lineup after the knee injury that sidelined him, and the timing matters beyond just one players box score. DeMeco Ryans has made clear that what Houston values most is Dells involvement, not simply how many snaps he can handle right away, which is a reminder that the receivers return could ripple through an offense still sorting out its shape.
For a Colts team watching the AFC South, Dells comeback is another development worth tracking because Houston is trying to regain a piece that changes spacing, timing and the way defenses have to prepare. Indianapolis also has its own sideline noise, from DeForest Buckner brushing off trade speculation as he stays locked in on the Vikings to the larger chatter around the division, but Dells return may end up mattering more than the conversation around it. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Suddenly Have A Bigger Injury Concern Before Minnesota
The Colts roster shuffle for Sundays matchup with the Vikings added another layer to an already delicate injury situation. Indianapolis elevated linebacker Germaine Pratt and cornerback Kenneth Harris from the practice squad to the active roster, a sign the team is preparing for life without some important depth pieces as it heads into Minnesota.
Those moves come as the Colts try to navigate injuries at linebacker and corner, with rookie CJ Allen, Sauce Gardner and Justin Walley all part of the concern. Indianapolis also moved on from punter Thomas Morstead after Rigoberto Sanchezs injury designation was removed, trimming one temporary insurance plan even as the bigger question remains how stable the defense will be when the game kicks off. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos Suddenly Have A Blockbuster RB Question To Answer
Jonathan Taylors name has suddenly drifted into the trade conversation after ESPNs Ian Rapoport and Adam Schefter reported that the Packers, Seahawks and Broncos are among the teams weighing a possible deal for the Colts running back. It is a notable twist for a player who signed an extension with Indianapolis this year and has already appeared in six games this season, especially with the franchise in a moment of change after firing GM Chris Ballard.
For Denver, the question is whether it wants to turn a passing interest into something more serious if Indianapolis decides to listen on veterans. The Colts internal picture is not entirely clear, either, since owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon reportedly still sees Taylor as a key part of the organization moving forward, leaving any potential move caught between a roster reset and a player the team may still want to build around. [Read more 🡒]