DeForest Buckner had to wait a little longer to make his first appearance on the field as a member of the San Francisco 49ers again. But he finally did on Sunday, as the Niners come off a bye to face the visiting Las Vegas Raiders at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara.
Buckner is savoring his first game back with the team that welcomed him in the NFL, as one can see in this video of his pregame introduction.
The former Oregon Ducks star Buckner was selected by the 49ers in the first round (seventh overall) of the 2016 NFL Draft. He spent his first five seasons in the pros on a San Francisco uniform before leaving Santa Clara in 2020, when the 49ers traded him to the Indianapolis Colts for a first-round pick in that same year's draft.
Several years later, Buckner finds himself on the field playing for the Niners again, with the Colts sending him to San Francisco in exchange for a fourth-rounder in the 2027 NFL Draft.
Buckner didn't like the direction the Colts were going in 2026. He showed his frustration over it, and that eventually helped lead to his trade back to San Francisco. The defensive tackle played seven games for the Colts this season and recorded three passes defended, a fumble recovery, and 4.0 sacks, along with 31 combined tackles and eight quarterback hits.
Given his familiarity with San Francisco, Buckner should be able to quickly adjust to his reunion with the Niners, who are also in a much better position to at least make the NFL playoffs than the Colts team that he left.