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The Indianapolis Colts got immediate returns on their investment in defensive tackle DeForest Buckner during the 2020 season as he proved to be one of the best players at his position across the entire league.
Buckner earned a first-team All-Pro nod for the first time in his career, leading the Colts defense in both sacks (9.5) and quarterback hits (26).
In ranking the top 32 interior defenders, Pro Football Focus had Buckner come in at No. 5.
Buckner was exactly what the Colts were hoping to get when they traded for him prior to the 2020 season, if not more. His 89.6 overall grade this past season was a career-high, ranking fifth among qualifiers on the interior. Buckner ranks third at the position in both sacks (38.0) and quarterback hits (66) since entering the league in 2016. He’ll likely have to shoulder much of the load in 2021 due to a young and unproven edge rotation in Indianapolis.
Buckner came in behind Aaron Donald, Chris Jones, Cam Heyward and Grady Jarrett on the list.
The Colts needed a jolt with their pass rush last year and they got it when they shipped away the No. 13 overall pick to the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for Buckner. Though the edge rush still has much to prove, the Colts have one of the best interiors with Buckner leading the way.
Now with Kwity Paye and (eventually) Dayo Odeyingbo in the mix, the Colts have a chance to field a strong and consistent pass rush with Buckner being the main source of pressure from the interior.
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