The Indianapolis Colts might not have the best defense in the NFL, partly because the team has suffered so many injuries in the secondary, but they do certainly have one of the best defensive lines in the league. This has been the case for several years.
When a team has Grover Stewart and DeForest Buckner, havoc will ensue. The pass rush overall might be inconsistent (again, partly because of the number of injuries), Stewart and Buckner seemingly supply a lot of quarterback pressure on a weekly basis.
Buckner, specifically, was one of the bright spots on the defense in Week 7 against the Los Angeles Chargers. He had five tackles, four quarterback hits, two tackles for loss, and, most importantly, two sacks. The team had only three overall, even though LA dropped back to throw more than 40 times.
Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen shares high praise for DeForest Buckner
In his postgame comments to the media, Colts head coach Shane Steichen was effusive in his praise of the defensive lineman. Not only, according to Steichen, was Buckner great in Week 7, he is one of the coach's favorite players.
Steichen said, "Shoot, I was hoping he'd get three (sacks), but he got two...He faces a lot of double teams. He's the ultimate pro, man. You talk about a guy, the character, the preparation, the consistency, and being relentless...I mean, you can always count on him. He's as good as it gets. One of my favorite players for sure."
Buckner has had a bit of an odd career when it comes to accolades. He's made the Pro Bowl three times, but in the seasons when he was named either First-Team All-Pro (2020) or Second-Team All-Pro (2019), he wasn't named to the Pro Bowl.
Of course, what matters more is the respect that opponents, fellow players, and coaches give a specific player, and obviously Buckner gets that respect. Shane Steichen knows how good he is, and one can assume that opponents do too. Otherwise, he wouldn't face so many double teams.
The 31-year-old Buckner is signed through 2026, and then the Indianapolis Colts will have a huge question to ask themselves. How much longer will they want to pay for a player who will be 33 years old in 2027? If he continues to be great, and hopefully he will, the team should pay him. It's a good problem to have.