San Francisco 49ers: Ranking 5 best moves from 2020 offseason

No. 2: Trading DeForest Buckner

Under no circumstances would I say trading Buckner be a good thing from a playing perspective. He was an important and talented member of the defense as well as a true leader.

But the truth of the matter was simple: The 49ers simply couldn’t afford to sign everybody to the extensions they deserve.

Buckner had the most trade value and likely would have commanded the biggest extension, so it was logical to trade him to the Indianapolis Colts for their No. 13 pick which would eventually become Buckner’s replacement in Kinlaw.

A good team understands that to remain a powerhouse, the team must be willing to make tough decisions for the betterment of the franchise. We’ve seen teams such as the Los Angeles Rams kill their salary cap in recent years trying to keep the team together instead of trying to evolve, and it simply doesn’t work.

Buckner will be missed, but the team absolutely made the right choice to trade him for a good return and get a cheaper option that will hopefully not be too much of a downgrade.

Making that tough call is the hallmark of a team that understands what it needs to do.