It wouldn’t be a San Francisco 49ers victory if they didn’t lose at least a couple of players due to injury. Wide receiver Demarcus Robinson got the most attention for his injury on Sunday against the Miami Dolphins, but losing rookie defensive tackle James Thompson Jr. may actually be the more significant loss.
Perhaps that should prompt San Francisco to give the winless Indianapolis Colts a call about Pro Bowl defensive tackle DeForest Buckner.
The Niners are already thin on their defensive line. Defensive tackle Alfred Collins is done for the year after a patellar tendon tear during practice in Australia. Edge rusher Sam Okuayinonu has missed the first two weeks of the season and could be out for a good chunk of time. Even rookie Romello Height broke his hand on Sunday and will need surgery, although there is a chance he will not miss any time.
On the brighter side, Mykel Williams is reportedly progressing in the right direction, and head coach Kyle Shanahan said San Francisco has spoken to veteran Leonard Floyd, so they could get more depth at edge rusher really soon.
But the interior defensive line is still very iffy. Osa Odighizuwa and rookie Gracen Halton aren’t a bad duo, but the Dolphins had their way running the ball in the first half of Sunday’s contest.
The Niners need guys who can stuff the run game, which is why a reunion with Buckner is such an obvious move.
49ers need to see what it'd take to trade for DeForest Buckner
The 49ers traded Buckner to the Colts in 2020, so they didn’t have to pay him, choosing to give Arik Armstead a big contract instead. Meanwhile, Buckner has continued to be a phenomenal player. Injuries have slowed him down a bit the last few seasons, but the 32-year-old pro already has 1.5 sacks so far this season, so he looks to be his usual self.
The Colts are 0-2, while the Niners are 2-0. So, if the two teams continue on their current trajectories, the Colts may be looking to sell off some pieces around the trade deadline. That’s why general manager John Lynch needs to be working the phones already to see what it will take to land Buckner.
If Lynch could get Buckner for a mid-level draft pick or two, then he absolutely has to make that deal. Lynch wisely waited during the offseason and didn’t make a huge trade for a player like Maxx Crosby, likely to see whether this 49ers squad was worth going all-in on. It’s only been two games, but this team does seem legit. The offense is firing on all cylinders, and the defense looks a lot better with a healthy Nick Bosa and Fred Warner.
It’s time for Lynch to push all his chips into the middle of the table and swing a trade that brings Buckner back home. It never felt right when he got traded, so the Niners need to right that wrong and give a key area of need a boost.
Add us as a preferred source on Google