The 49ers exercised the 5th-year option on 2016 1st-round pick, defensive tackle DeForest Buckner, which will see him being paid $12.378 million, which is only guaranteed for injury now, and fully on the first day of the 2020 new league year. But I’m here to try and predict a potential extension for Buckner.
Now, thanks to OverTheCap.com, the highest paid Interior Defensive Lineman in the game are as followed.
The highest paid interior defensive lineman is Aaron Donald of the Los Angeles Rams, who signed a 6yr/$135 million deal in 2018, which averages $22.5 million a year, with $50 million fully guaranteed, and another $26.892 million guaranteed for injury, it includes a pretty massive sized $40 million signing bonus, along with $5 million roster bonuses in 2022-2024, due on the second day of each of those new league years.
Below is a breakdown, via OTC.
| Year | Age | Base Salary | Prorated Bonus | Roster Bonus | Guaranteed Salary | Cap Number | |
| 2018 | 27 | $892,000 | $8,000,000 | $0 | $892,000 | $8,892,000 | |
| 2019 📝 | 28 | $9,108,000 | $8,000,000 | $0 | $9,108,000 | $17,108,000 | |
| 2020 📝 | 29 | $17,000,000 | $8,000,000 | $0 | $17,000,000 | $25,000,000 | |
| 2021 | 30 | $19,892,000 | $8,000,000 | $0 | $0 | $27,892,000 | |
| 2022 📝 | 31 | $9,250,000 | $8,000,000 | $5,000,000 | $0 | $22,250,000 | |
| 2023 📝 | 32 | $14,000,000 | $0 | $5,000,000 | $0 | $19,000,000 | |
| 2024 📝 | 33 | $16,750,000 | $0 | $5,000,000 | $0 | $21,750,000 | |
| Total | $86,892,000 | $40,000,000 | $15,000,000 | $27,000,000 | $141,892,000 |
The second highest paid interior defensive lineman is Fletcher Cox, of the Philadelphia Eagles who signed a 6yr/$102.6 million deal in 2016, which averages $17.1 million a year, with $36.299 million fully guaranteed, and another $27 million guaranteed for injury, and it included a $26 million signing bonus, and a $6 million option bonus.
Below is a breakdown via OTC.
| Year | Age | Base Salary | Prorated Bonus | Roster Bonus | Guaranteed Salary | Cap Number | |
| 2016 | 26 | $1,299,000 | $5,200,000 | $0 | $1,299,000 | $6,499,000 | |
| 2017 | 27 | $3,000,000 | $6,400,000 | $0 | $3,000,000 | $9,400,000 | |
| 2018 | 28 | $3,310,000 | $8,038,000 | $0 | $3,310,000 | $11,348,000 | |
| 2019 📝 | 29 | $930,000 | $10,972,000 | $0 | $830,000 | $11,902,000 | |
| 2020 📝 | 30 | $11,200,000 | $11,647,000 | $1,000,000 | $0 | $22,847,000 | |
| 2021 📝 | 31 | $15,000,000 | $6,447,000 | $1,000,000 | $0 | $22,447,000 | |
| 2022 📝 | 32 | $16,100,000 | $5,247,000 | $1,000,000 | $0 | $22,347,000 | |
| 2023 | 33 | $0 | $3,609,000 | $0 | $0 | $3,609,000 | |
| Total | $50,839,000 | $57,560,000 | $3,000,000 | $8,439,000 | $110,399,000 |
Next up is Geno Atkins of the Cincinnati Bengals, who signed a 4yr/$62.5 million deal in 2018, which averages $16.3 million a year, which included $25 million guaranteed, $20.5 million of it being fully guaranteed. He received a $13 million signing bonus, along with $4 million, and $3.5 million guaranteed roster bonuses.
Below is a breakdown via OTC.
| Year | Age | Base Salary | Prorated Bonus | Roster Bonus | Per Game Roster Bonus | Workout Bonus | Guaranteed Salary | Cap Number | |
| 2018 | 30 | $8,000,000 | $2,600,000 | $4,000,000 | $200,000 | $300,000 | $4,000,000 | $15,100,000 | |
| 2019 📝 | 31 | $8,000,000 | $2,600,000 | $3,500,000 | $200,000 | $300,000 | $3,500,000 | $14,600,000 | |
| 2020 | 32 | $11,100,000 | $2,600,000 | $0 | $200,000 | $300,000 | $0 | $14,200,000 | |
| 2021 | 33 | $11,700,000 | $2,600,000 | $0 | $200,000 | $300,000 | $0 | $14,800,000 | |
| 2022 | 34 | $12,950,000 | $2,600,000 | $0 | $200,000 | $300,000 | $0 | $16,050,000 | |
| Total | $51,750,000 | $13,000,000 | $7,500,000 | $1,000,000 | $1,500,000 | $7,500,000 | $74,750,000 |
Finally we have Kawann Short of the Carolina Panthers, who signed a 5yr/$80.5 million deal in 2017, which averages $16.1 million a year, which included $45 million in guarantees, of which $35 million is fully guaranteed. He received a $20 million signing bonus.
Below is a breakdown via OTC.
| Year | Age | Base Salary | Prorated Bonus | Roster Bonus | Workout Bonus | Guaranteed Salary | Cap Number | |
| 2017 | 28 | $6,000,000 | $4,000,000 | $0 | $0 | $6,000,000 | $10,000,000 | |
| 2018 | 29 | $12,500,000 | $4,000,000 | $0 | $500,000 | $12,500,000 | $17,000,000 | |
| 2019 📝 | 30 | $12,500,000 | $4,000,000 | $0 | $500,000 | $6,500,000 | $17,000,000 | |
| 2020 | 31 | $12,000,000 | $4,000,000 | $1,500,000 | $500,000 | $0 | $18,000,000 | |
| 2021 | 32 | $12,000,000 | $4,000,000 | $2,000,000 | $500,000 | $0 | $18,500,000 | |
| Total | $55,000,000 | $20,000,000 | $3,500,000 | $2,000,000 | $25,000,000 | $80,500,000 |
So, now that we know what the top interior defensive lineman are making, let’s try and predict what Buckner will get, and/or want, either before the 2019 season, or in the 2020 offseason.
For starters, Buckner should want to be paid as much as he can possibly get, in my opinion, his market value would be between Aaron Donald, and Fletcher Cox’s deals, so $18 million, to $20 million a year, along with between $65 million, and $80 million in guaranteed money, with a decent sized signing bonus, in the $15 million range, along with guaranteed roster bonuses in the $7 million to $8.5 million range over the first 2 seasons.
I expect Buckner to get $750,000 per game roster bonuses, paid over 16 games each year, and a yearly $100,000 workout bonuses.
All in all, I’d expect a Buckner extension to come in at a 6yr deal, worth $19 million a year, with between $30 million to $35 million in fully guaranteed money, and an additional $35 million in injury guaranteed money.
This deal would be the 2nd highest paid interior defensive lineman, but within the 49ers structuring format, which will include a good amount of future base salaries being guaranteed for injury, and fully on April 1 of that year, which is the standard practice for all 49ers contracts given out.
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