Despite trade interest from his former team, DeForest Buckner appears likely to finish this season with the Indianapolis Colts.

By The Athletic’s Dianna RussiniThe Colts told surveyed teams they would not move the three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle before Tuesday’s trade deadline.

Russeni reported on October 26 that Buckner was among the trade targets discussed by the San Francisco 49ers, but there was no indication at this point that the Colts were looking to trade him.

The 49ers need help along their defensive line, especially on the interior. Javon Hargrave is out for the season after suffering a partially torn triceps in a Week 3 loss to the Los Angeles Rams.

Yetur Gross-Matos, who plays inside and out, was present injured reserve since October 5. Head coach Kyle Shanahan is optimistic he will be able to return shortly after the team’s Week 9 bye.

Even if the 49ers get Gross-Matos back relatively quickly, they could use another interior player who can put pressure on the quarterback and fill in the gaps in the run defense.

Buckner always seemed like the type of addition the 49ers could make in an ideal scenario. He knows their defensive philosophy after spending the first four years of his career in San Francisco.

Even though the 49ers have brought in four defensive coordinators since trading Buckner to Indianapolis in March 2020, their main principles from the days when Robert Saleh was in charge of that side of the ball, still applies under first-year coordinator Nick Sorensen.

In addition to the Colts’ apparent lack of interest in trading Buckner, his $13 million The base salary in 2025 could have been a hindrance for a 49ers team that already has several expensive contracts in place and plans to give Brock Purdy a new contract when he becomes eligible this offseason.

The 49ers have been one of the most aggressive teams at the trade deadline in recent years, trading for Christian McCaffrey and Chase Young in the past two years. It wouldn’t be a surprise if this trend continued, but that might not be the case for a player of Buckner’s stature.