George Kittle gets an old teammate back. Indianapolis gets another draft pick. Judging by the reactions to DeForest Buckner’s return to San Francisco, one side is having considerably more fun with this deal.

The Colts are sending Buckner to the 49ers for a 2027 fourth-round selection, adding another major departure to a roster undergoing a shake-up. Former Indianapolis cornerback Darius Butler needed just four words to describe the direction of travel.

Darius Butler Sees a Fire Sale as George Kittle Celebrates

“The fire sale CONTINUES…”Butler wrote.

His reaction followed Indianapolissending Quenton Nelson to Seattle. Moving two established stars gives Colts fans plenty to process before the next game even arrives.

Meanwhile, Kittle practically hit the caps-lock key through his keyboard.

“DEFOOOOO THE BOYS ARE BACK,”Kittle posted, celebrating Buckner’s return.

The price immediately caught attention, too. A fourth-round pick for a player still producing at Buckner’s level had one fan wondering why Chicago hadn’t beaten San Francisco to the phone.

“For only a 4th? That’s pretty cheap. Wonder why Poles didn’t pull the trigger on this one,”the fan wrote.

Albert Breer offered the reasoning from Indianapolis’ side.

“From Indy’s perspective, this is a chance to give their next GM capital to build with for players that were probably gone anyway. Remember, they don’t have a first-round pick in 2027,”Breer wrote.

That missing selection gives another fan base a rooting interest in how this teardown unfolds.

“The #Colts first-round draft pick — which the #Jets own — continues to look better…”Ian Rapoport added.

Accumulating picks gives Indianapolis something to work with. Watching productive veterans leave while another franchise owns its first-rounder is still a tough sell to the people buying tickets.

PFN’s Trade Machine Gives San Francisco an A+

The model accounts for Buckner’s deal ending after this season, pricing him as a rental. Even with that limitation, its verdict strongly favors the 49ers.

The text read, “Buckner’s deal ends after this season, so he is priced as a rental, and still comes to 120 against 18 for a 4th-round pick. San Francisco is 6-1 and adds help now; Indianapolis is 2-5 and rebuilding, but the model says it would not take a single 4th for him.”

His current production helps explain the gap.

Through Week 7, Buckner carries a 91.2 grade forPFN’s NFL DT Impact, ranking fifth among 121 defensive tackles. He has four sacks across seven games and 353 snaps.

The career chart also shows how consistently he has delivered. Buckner finished inside the top 10 in six of his seven completed seasons graded at defensive tackle. His best year came in 2023, when his 95.2 grade led all 104 players at the position.

For Indianapolis, the return becomes part of the next roster-building project. For San Francisco, the benefit can arrive on the next defensive snap. Kittle’s welcome suggests the locker room already knows exactly what it is getting.