Defensive tackle DeForest Buckner is the first San Francisco 49ers player to reach double-digit sacks in a single season since linebacker Aldon Smith had 19.5 in 2012. Buckner's 11 sacks, including two against Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson on Sunday, are a career-high.
Two of Buckner's three multi-sack performances have come against Wilson. He also had 2.5 sacks in the 49ers' regular-season opener against the Minnesota Vikings.
Buckner, a rising NFL star, was the 49ers' most noticeable Pro Bowl snub. Fullback Kyle Juszczyk and tight end George Kittle will represent San Francisco in Orlando, Florida next month. Buckner's name appeared as an alternate.
"The organization, coaches, and everybody knows my ability," Buckner told reporters on Thursday via Bay Area News Group. "The recognition would be cool, but it's out of my hands.
"They've got me as an alternate so at least they know my name. Now I've got to get them to remember it."
The interior defensive linemen representing the NFC in the Pro Bowl are Aaron Donald of the Los Angeles Rams, Fletcher Cox of the Philadelphia Eagles, and Akiem Hicks of the Chicago Bears.
Donald has 16.5 sacks this season. That one is understandable, but fans will argue that neither Cox (7.5) nor Hicks (6) has more than Buckner. Of course, none of those players are on a team with a losing record.
Juszczyk, who is headed to his third consecutive Pro Bowl, was shocked to see Buckner's name left off the NFC roster but understands that perception plays a big part in the selection process.
"There's a lot of guys out there that I think deserve it," Juszczyk said earlier this week, "but it's tough when you're 4-10. You don't always get the most exposure. It's kind of hard to validate tons of Pro Bowl picks when you have that record."
Buckner is in the third year of his four-year rookie contract. He's a player the 49ers would love to lock up for the foreseeable future, a move that will cost the financially-comfortable team a lot.
"We'll look into all of that stuff," head coach Kyle Shanahan said Monday. "I haven't thought about any of that now, but I know DeFo is someone we want to be a Niner for a long time. So, however the best way is to get that done."
Shanahan may not have thought about it yet, but Buckner's agent, Joel Segal, has. He plans to begin discussing a contract extension with the 49ers brass.
"I talked to my agent in the past couple weeks," Buckner said. "He's going to come out in the offseason, and we're going to talk a little more."
The 49ers made Buckner the No. 7 overall draft pick out of Oregon in 2016. He now has 20 career sacks in his three NFL seasons and has racked up 60 combined tackles and two passes defensed to go along with his 11 sacks this year.
