Not that it was ever a mystery, DeForest Buckner’s return to the San Francisco 49ers means he’s getting his old No. 99 back. That number has been worn by second-year defensive tackle CJ West.
Buckner said he got to know West last week and the two were talking, where West told Buckner, “Hey, bro, 99 is yours.” West will wear No. 90.
Buckner didn’t need to ask for the number. He said West offered it to him. Buckner vowed to “take care” of West, even though CJ asked for nothing in return.
Buckner denied
telling the Colts he only wanted to be traded to the 49ers. He also wouldn’t say whether he’s discussed or focused on a potential extension with the 49ers after this season. His focus is on the remainder of the season.
“Fred and I were just talking in the cafe this morning. You really wanna be a team on the rise. This is a part of the season where, you know, some teams start falling off. The really select group continues to rise and get better every week. That’s what I’m doing. That’s what I’m trying to do.”
During Buckner’s press conference on Monday, he said some of his new teammates told him Kris Kocurek plays a lot of 2019 film as teaching tape. The nostalgia is great, but the 49ers brought in Buckner to do a job and do it at a high level. He said he plans to do everything he can to help elevate the defensive line room.
When asked about the immediate impact he could make, Buckner leaned into his experience, but also wants to help the young players in the room:
“There’s a lot of young guys in the room. I’m an open book. If they want to pick my brain and ask me questions, I’m always an open book to all of them. It doesn’t take just one or two guys to make a room or make a team. It’s the entire room. I’ve always believed that the d-line is the engine of the team. And I wanna pour into those young guys everything that I know, so I can help their game and get even better.”
How the snaps look with Buckner in the fold is one of the more intriguing parts about the defense moving forward. Buckner still has the stamina to play 70-75% of the time. That means whoever is next to him will be rotated quite a bit to keep them fresh.
