Carolina Panthers defensive tackle Derrick Brown cashed in big-time on Friday, inking a four-year, $96 million extension. This mammoth contract has sent ripple effects throughout the football world, and even caught the eye of a certain Indianapolis Colts All-Pro.
That player was DeForest Buckner, another premier player at the position that should be in line for a payday soon. The 30-year-old sounded off on Twitter following Brown's extension.
saying “DT market crazy. Y'all better start teaching your kids to put their hand in the dirt.”
Will defensive tackles continue getting premier deals? Will Buckner be next to cash in?
Colts may want to pay DeForest Buckner sooner rather than later
Buckner is reportedly looking for his new deal following a career year in 2023, via NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. The three-time Pro Bowler has one year left on his current contract before he hits free agency.
Buckner has a right to request a raise, as he had just as many sacks last year as Brown has in his career (eight). While Brown had more tackles and an elite Pro Football Focus (PFF) grade last year, Buckner was no slouch either. Brown ranked fourth with a 90.1 grade, while Buckner ranked 14th with a 81.8 mark. Both players were also good against the run, posting elite production in that category.
“Brown’s reputation as a run stuffer continues to grow, as he finished 2023 as one of just two interior defenders to earn a 90.0 run-defense grade,” via PFF. “He played a position-leading 427 run-defense snaps and generated an incredible 31.4% positively graded play rate. The Panthers interior defender recorded 110 total tackles and 50 run stops, both of which led the position.”
With Brown being an interior lineman, it's understandable that his game is more focused on run stopping than pass rushing. Pass rush specialists usually line up on the outside, with generational talents like Aaron Donald being a rare exception. However, Buckner appears to be better at disrupting both the pass and run games.
“Buckner managed to bat down the most passes (7) by any player at the position,” via PFF. “However, his presence in the run game undoubtedly posed a threat, as he tied the most run-defense snaps against a double-team (88) over the year.”
Combining Buckner's sacks, batted passed and run stopping prowess, his game looks to be slightly more well-rounded. The only reason why he may not command as much money in the open market is his age. Brown is five years his junior and just now entering his prime.
Regardless, Buckner is still in excellent shape and playing at a high level. The veteran is set to make $22.75 million in 2024, but look for him to make even more in the near future. The only question is if it will be for the Colts, or someone else with a bigger pot of gold.
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