49ers will benefit long term in wake of DeForest Buckner trade

The initial response of San Francisco 49ers fans when hearing of the DeForest Buckner trade to the Indianapolis Colts was less than positive. But the trade will be a long-term benefit for the Niners going forward.

When the San Francisco 49ers announced the trade that sent Pro Bowl defensive tackle DeForest Buckner to the Colts for the 13th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, the negative reaction from some in the fanbase was expected.

Heading into the offseason, the consensus thought was the Niners could potentially let defensive lineman Arik Armstead, who lead the team with 10 sacks, and safety Jimmie Ward leave via free agency in order to retain Buckner’s services.

However, general manager John Lynch and Co. had a different thought process.

By signing Buckner to a contract similar to the one he eventually signed with the Colts ($21 million per season, $84 million total), the team would then have been hard-pressed to afford not only Armstead and Ward, but other important depth players as well.

Lynch instead chose to extend contract offers to both Armstead and Ward in an attempt to keep as much continuity as possible for the NFL’s second-ranked defense from a year ago. Armstead’s deal is for $17 million per season, saving the team money in comparison to Buckner’s deal with the Colts. It allowed the front office to bring back defensive lineman Ronald Blair on a one-year contract, as well as re-signing versatile offensive lineman Ben Garland.

In essence, the team retained a minimum of five players for what Buckner alone would have cost.

It started with the Buckner trade, but it was the shrewd draft-day maneuvering by Lynch that allowed the team to add two first-round selections, defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw and wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, to this NFC champion’s roster.

But the front office did not stop there.

Bringing in former Wasington Redskins seven-time Pro Bowler Trent Williams to slide into the hole at left tackle vacated by Joe Staley’s retirement means this 49er offensive line has an excellent chance to be even better than it was last season.

And although Williams will be a free agent after the season, freeing up cap space with Buckner’s departure allowed the team to have a chance to re-sign him following the 2020 season. Lynch, to his credit, is living in the here-and-now with the Williams trade, but keeping all options on the table. He intimated as much to ESPN’s Nick Wagoner:

"I think the plan was to land him right now and then let the rest kind of work itself out. I think it’s always an advantage when you get someone in the building, on your roster. Now you’ve got a chance. We’ll get a really good look at him. We’ll see where the rest of our team is at, but right now we are just ecstatic that we were able to pull it off at a really opportune time."

And with the team looking ahead at possible extensions for all-world tight end George Kittle and further down the road for EDGE Nick Bosa and others, keeping some cap flexibility is paramount to an organization’s long-term success.

This situation was one where the short-term goal of trying to win a Super Bowl matched up with the sensible financial aspects and long-term success organizations seek to attain. With the exception of the New England Patriots, few teams in the salary cap era have been able to do both.

It remains to be seen if Kinlaw, Aiyuk and Williams will play well enough to justify trading away a player of Buckner’s skill set.

With that said, it was the right decision at this time to let Buckner go and still allow the team success not only in the upcoming season but future seasons as well. Lynch has acquitted himself well so far as a forward-thinking general manager, and this decision is no different. It ultimately extends the team’s window for winning a sixth Lombardi Trophy.