The Indianapolis Colts have adopted a unique strategy this offseason to keep their own players. The team focused on re-signing their current players, with their Pro Bowl defender DeForest Buckner being one of them.
The Colts and Buckner agreed to a two-year, $46 million extension on Monday. This extension means that the DT will play with the team until 2026. After the extension, DeForest Buckner talked about his new contract sharing that it was an easy decision for him.
“It was an easy decision on my part – on coming back and staying with the team and this organization,” Buckner said per SI.com.
The DT revealed that this decision was influenced by his positive relationship with Chris Ballard, the Colts’ general manager, and his overall satisfaction with the team and organization.
DeForest Buckner, known as one of the best defensive tackles in the NFL, mentioned that he regularly has one-on-one discussions with Chris Ballard at the end of each season. These discussions involve assessing the season and Buckner’s satisfaction with being part of the team.
He expressed his happiness with the relationships he has built within the team and his optimism about its direction.
“He (Chris) asked me if I was still happy being here, and I said, ‘Of course.’ I love the relationships I’ve built, my teammates, the way this team is going. I can see it.”
Another factor in DeForest Buckner’s decision was the well-being of his family in Indianapolis.
“So it was really easy for me to make that decision and then also my family. My family has been thriving here. It was a no brainer for me.”
DeForest Buckner’s decision to stay with his current team was not only easy for him but also for the Colts, given his impeccable performance with the team.
DeForest Buckner career stats with the Colts
Since joining the Colts from the San Francisco 49ers in 2020, DeForest Buckner has been highly successful on the field. He has earned Pro Bowl appearances and First-Team All-Pro honors during his time with the Colts.
Throughout his four-year tenure with the team, DeForest Buckner has racked up 32.5 sacks and in the 2020 campaign his lone career first-team All-Pro nod. He has made between 58 and 81 tackles each season with the team and has added between 21 and 26 QB hits each year in that span.
Buckner’s leadership qualities and team-first mentality make him an ideal fit in the Colts’ locker room. The team values fearless players, unselfish leaders committed to winning for the collective good of the team.
Considering the DT’s incredible contributions to the team, the Colts had to offer him an extension. With this new extension, DeForest Buckner is expected to remain equally productive in the upcoming season as well.
