Colts DT DeForest Buckner concurs to two-year, $46 million extension

The Indianapolis Colts and DeForest Buckner have concurred to a two-year, $46 million extension that will keep him under agreement through the 2026 season, according to numerous reports. 

ESPN veryfirst reported the news of the extension. The Colts verified the reports however did not reveal the terms. Buckner had hinted at a possible extension on social media earlier this month and onceagain on Sunday.

With the extension, Buckner will stay one of the videogame’s highest-paid protective dealswith on an yearly basis. His $23 million wage is the fifth-highest amongst defensive dealswith, with Chris Jones ($31.75 million), Christian Wilkins ($27.5 million), Justin Madubuike ($24.5 million) and Derrick Brown ($24 million) all finalizing richer agreements this offseason.

The extension is likewise a small bump in pay for the 30-year-old Buckner, who was start the last year of a four-year, $84 million offer he signed with the Colts in 2020 after being gotten from the San Francisco 49ers.

After emerging as one of the videogame’s finest protective dealswith in his last seasons in the Bay Area, Buckner has stayed one of the leading gamers at his position throughout his period in Indianapolis. He hasactually taped a integrated 32.5 sacks over his 4 seasons with the group. He likewise had a career-high 81 integrated overall takeson last year, assisting him make a Pro Bowl nod for the 3rd time in his profession.

Buckner had 8 sacks, 11 takeson for loss and 21 quarterback strikes in2023 A first-round choice by San Francisco in 2016, the 30-year-old Buckner was traded to the Colts in 2020 and getsin his 5th season in Indianapolis.

He has 61 sacks and 80 dealswith for loss.

The Colts’ choice to extend Buckner reveals a continued financialinvestment in their secret gamers as they hope to win the AFC South in 2024 after falling simply short in2023 They’ve re-signed large receiver Michael Pittman Jr. (three years, $70 million), defensive dealwith Grover Stewart (three years, $39 million), linebacker Zaire Franklin (three years, $31.26 million) and cornerback Kenny Moore II (three years, $30 million) to multi-year offers this offseason. They likewise included defensive takeon Raekwon Davis (two years, $14 million) and quarterback Joe Flacco (one year, $8.7 million) in totallyfree company.

[READ MORE: Does Colts’ investment in their own free agents show team is ready to break out?]

The Colts went 9-8 last season under first-year coach Shane Steichen, losing a de facto play-in videogame to the Houston Texans in the last week of the routine season. Gardner Minshew quarterbacked the group for much of the season after Anthony Richardson, the No. 4 choice in the 2023 draft, suffered a season-ending shoulder injury early in the year. 

Richardson is anticipated to be prepared to go well previously the start of the 2024 season. Minshew signed a free-agent offer with the Las Vegas Raiders this offseason and will be changed by Flacco as Richardson’s backup.

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The Associated Press contributed to this report.