Ian Williams spent six years playing along the defensive line for the San Francisco 49ers. His final year with the 49ers was DeForest Buckner’s first with the team after being selected in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft.
Buckner is coming off a career year for the 49ers. He had 12 sacks last year for San Francisco after combining for just nine in his first two seasons combined. He now has additional firepower around him on the 49ers defensive front as well following the offseason acquisition of Dee Ford from Kansas City and the selection of Nick Bosa in the first round of this year’s draft.
Williams, now an analyst for NBC Sports Bay Area, believes that less could now prove to be even more for Buckner and the 49ers.
“I hope they cut down on his reps this season because it starts to show later on in a game and later on in the season,” Williams said of Buckner, via Matt Maiocco. “He can take some of these reps off.”
Buckner played on 852 of the 49ers 1,073 defensive snaps last season with an additional 164 reps on special teams. Only linebacker Fred Warner was on the field more often than Buckner was in 2018, per Pro Football Reference.
With Buckner, Ford, Bosa, Solomon Thomas and Arik Armstead along the defensive line in 2019, the 49ers should have more flexibility to dial back Buckner’s reps and maintain a similar standard of performance.
“They’re in prime position to showcase their talents. Solomon and Arik, they went in the first round for a reason,” Williams said.
If it also means Buckner can be fresher and produce even more, that would seem to be a win-win for the 49ers.
