DeMarcus Lawrence made it clear he wouldn’t play the 2019 season on the franchise tag. The Cowboys obliged, inking the star pass rusher to a five-year, $105 million deal with $65 million guaranteed according to ESPN’s Josina Anderson. The ripple effects of that contract will very rapidly reach the 49ers and their Pro Bowl defensive tackle DeForest Buckner.
Buckner is entering his fourth year in 2019, and coming off the best season of his young career. He led the 49ers with a career-high 12.0 sacks en route to his first Pro Bowl nod. He’s eligible for an extension now, but the 49ers have a fifth-year option they’ll very likely exercise to keep Buckner in Santa Clara at least through 2020. After that the 49ers will either need to franchise tag him or reach a long-term deal.
Hammering out a long-term agreement won’t be easy, especially given the figures in Lawrence’s contract. His $21 million per year average trails only Aaron Donald among defensive linemen. His $65 guaranteed will by far be the most in that position group.
It could get tricky if the 49ers opt to value Buckner differently because he’s an interior rusher, not an edge player. The highest-paid 4-3 defensive tackle is Philadelphia’s Fletcher Cox according to Over the Cap. He’s getting $17.1 million per year with a touch over $36 million guaranteed.
The likelihood Buckner will accept a deal that establishes Cox’s contract as the benchmark is somewhere just north of nil. His pass-rushing prowess, assuming he reproduces or builds on his 12-sack campaign, will earn him top dollar among all defensive linemen, regardless of position.
Buckner shares an agent with Khalil Mack, who was ready to hold out until the Raiders made him the NFL’s highest-paid defensive player. Oakland eventually traded him to Chicago.
There’s a very good chance that Buckner’s representatives come to the table with Lawrence’s deal to try and set that as a starting point for negotiations. Positional value is going to matter less when an interior lineman is racking up sacks like an edge player.
This could all be moot if Buckner sees a steep decline in production in Years 4 and 5. His 12 sacks came after a 3.0-sack campaign in his second season. He posted 6.0 as a rookie. Contract negotiations go much differently if his 2019 and 2020 numbers are in that neighborhood.
However, watching Buckner last year in an anemic 49ers pass rush provided promise that his best football is still ahead of him. San Francisco’s trade for Dee Ford, and his subsequent five-year, $85 million contract with $20.5 million guaranteed showed the team is willing to pay for pass rushers.
Buckner may wind up becoming the highest-paid defensive player in the league by the time the dust settles on negotiations, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if his deal winds up looking something like Lawrence’s.
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