49ers’ 2018 ‘Who Is?’ series: Defensive tackle DeForest Buckner
By Peter Panacy
Niner Noise looks at one of the San Francisco 49ers’ top performers in 2017, defensive tackle DeForest Buckner, in our latest “Who Is?” installment for the 2018 season.
The San Francisco 49ers had two standout defenders in 2017, linebacker Reuben Foster and defensive tackle DeForest Buckner.
Foster was on the field last season for only 10 games, whereas Buckner was a regular contributor, appearing in all 16 regular-season contests and participating in 867 defensive snaps.
Over that time, Buckner registered a 90.4 overall Pro Football Focus grade, tied for sixth best among all interior defenders last season.
Provided by Pro-Football-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 5/18/2018.
Buckner should have been considered for the Pro Bowl a year ago. But the lack of production in traditional statistical areas, such as only three sacks, likely influenced the Pro Bowl snub.
That doesn’t mean Buckner lacks for impact for San Francisco’s defense, though.
The 49ers almost exclusively used Buckner as the right defensive tackle last season, locking down a key interior spot, where his pocket-wrecking poise could deliver maximum effect. His numbers would have been better if the Niners’ other D-line contributors would have been more potent.
Should we expect that to change in 2018? Let’s take a look and see what’s on tap for Buckner this upcoming season.
San Francisco 49ers
Why DeForest Buckner Improves in 2018
It’s safe to say Buckner is one of the pinnacle players on San Francisco’s defense — a cornerstone for the D-line and someone capable of becoming a household name this season.
Buckner was effective last year in the pass rush and against the run, posting a PFF pass-rushing grade of 89.6 and run-stopping mark of 82.6. He was able to register 52 quarterback pressures on 475 pass-rushing snaps last season, posting a pass-rush productivity mark of 8.4 — fifth best in the league among defensive tackles — per PFF.
There’s little reason to assume Buckner won’t continue his upward trajectory. Entering his third season in the league, the former first-round pick just needs a little bit of help from his supporting cast to turn some of those pressures into actual QB takedowns.
Buckner won’t move away from his right defensive tackle spot. But the rest of the D-line and pass-rushing cast will need to perform better than their 2017 numbers for Buckner to reach a zenith.
Primarily, this means second-year pro Solomon Thomas, whose 53.2 overall PFF grade last year was a bit of a disappointment after being selected No. 3 overall in the 2017 NFL Draft.
Thomas played out of position for much of the year, though, often lining up at the right defensive end spot. His biggest impact would be felt at the left (big end) side, which would be a major boost to Buckner.
Why He Regresses
Again, this likely isn’t going to be a case where Buckner plays at a level significantly lower than what we saw a year ago. The key, however, is what happens with the supporting cast.
Thomas’ second season will be crucial. Should Thomas finally live up to his lofty draft stock this year, this particular tandem could wind up being one of the better ones among interior defenders in 2018. But that’s if the 49ers primarily play Thomas at the right position.
Another factor in Buckner’s ascension will be fellow former Oregon teammate, defensive tackle Arik Armstead, who’ll likely rotate with Thomas at the big end spot.
Yet the biggest question mark will be what San Francisco does with its outside pass rush. Keep in mind, the Niners tied for 26th last year with just 30 sacks. And the lack of an edge rush was a key reason why.
When there is a good outside rush, Buckner’s presence becomes all the more potent, as shown below:
Watch it again as @EKD92 and @DeForestBuckner both get to Brissett for the split sack. #SFvsIND pic.twitter.com/GjTXJjQr7a
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) October 8, 2017
If not, however, quarterbacks can merely step outside the pocket and escape the in-the-face pass rush Buckner provides.
That’s a big reason why Buckner’s sack totals were fairly low in 2017. So it’s not so much a question whether Buckner will regress, rather it’s if he can get some complementary help from his fellow linemen.
What to Expect with the 49ers in 2018
Again, so much is predicated on how San Francisco’s outside edge rush performs this season. The Niners didn’t do much to address the outside pass rush in what ended up being a weak free-agent/NFL Draft class for EDGE players.
Instead, blue-chip players like Jeremiah Attaochu and Cassius Marsh will likely shoulder the load here.
That might work (keyword: might), although the lack of a prolific edge bender could come back to haunt the 49ers this season. And opposing quarterbacks will likely try to replicate the same escape tactics they employed last year when Buckner is bearing down on them.
Still, Buckner’s presence can’t be ignored, and he’ll likely be yet another standout on a budding defensive unit.
A full year working within defensive coordinator Robert Saleh’s system should do San Francisco’s D-line some good. And if players like Thomas and Armstead end up meeting expectations this year, it only serves to make Buckner an even better force on the field.
Next: Why the 49ers neglected pass-rushing needs in 2018
As such, it wouldn’t be a shock at all to see Buckner selected to the Pro Bowl after the season is finished.