DeForest Buckner is officially back with the San Francisco 49ers, and the first thing everyone wanted to know? His old No. 99 jersey. It’s done. Second-year defensive tackle CJ West, who had been rocking No. 99, simply handed it back. Buckner said he got to know West last week, and West just flat-out told him, “Hey, bro, 99 is yours.” Talk about a stand-up move! West will now wear No. 90, and Buckner, being the stand-up guy himself, vowed to “take care” of West, even though CJ didn’t ask for a thing.
Buckner’s Focus: No Trade Demands, All Season Ahead
Buckner isn’t interested in looking backward or too far forward. He was clear: he denied telling the Colts he only wanted to be traded to the 49ers. He also wouldn’t spill the beans on any potential extension talks after this season. For him, it’s all about the here and now, the remainder of the season. He echoed what many true competitors feel at this point in the year, saying, “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.” That’s the kind of locked-in mentality you love to see.
Elevating The D-Line: Experience Meets Youth
During his press conference on Monday, Buckner shared that some of his new teammates mentioned how Kris Kocurek, their defensive line coach, uses a lot of 2019 film as teaching tape. While that nostalgia is cool, Buckner knows exactly why he’s there: to perform at a high level and make an immediate impact. He plans to do everything he can to elevate the entire defensive line room. When asked about his immediate contributions, Buckner leaned into his experience, but also stressed the importance of mentoring the younger guys. He said, “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.” That’s leadership right there. With Buckner still having the stamina to play 70-75% of the snaps, it means whoever is next to him will get a good rotation, keeping everyone fresh and ready to wreak havoc.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Niners Nation.
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