The San Francisco 49ers announced on Wednesday that they have exercised the fifth-year contract option on Pro Bowl DL DeForest Buckner for the 2020 season.
The 49ers originally selected Buckner (6-7, 300) in the first round (7th overall) of the 2016 NFL Draft. Buckner has started in all 47 games he has appeared in throughout his three-year career, tallying 215 tackles, 21.0 sacks, eight passes defensed, three fumble recoveries and one forced fumble.
In 2018, he started all 16 games and registered 67 tackles, a career-high 12.0 sacks, three passes defensed and one fumble recovery, earning his first selection to the Pro Bowl. His sack total ranked tied for eighth in the NFC, tied for 14th in the NFL, were the most by a member of the 49ers in a single season since LB Aldon Smith (19.5 sacks in 2012) and the 5th-most in a single season by a 49ers defender since 2000.
