When San Francisco 49ers’ general manager John Lynch agreed to trade defensive lineman DeForest Buckner to the Indianapolis Colts for a first-round pick, whoever came in as DeFo’s replacement would have big shoes to fill.
That responsibility fell on South Carolina product Javon Kinlaw, who was selected 14th overall in last year’s NFL Draft.
Buckner had a great season with the Colts. The 26-year-old stabilized a very good Indy defense, finishing the year with 58 tackles, 9.5 sacks, and 26 QB hits.
The reason Buckner was moved during the 2020 offseason had nothing to do with production but rather the business side of the game.