Dee Ford borrowed one of DeForest Buckner’s notebooks this offseason. At the top of the first page, Buckner had written, “I can’t be blocked!”
That’s the way Buckner feels every day, every play, every game, every season.
“I can’t be blocked,” Buckner said last week, via Matt Maiocco of NBCSportsBayArea.com. “I approach that every day. That’s my mindset going in every day for practice. That’s how I approach every game. I want to be the best at my position.”
The defensive tackle had a career-best 12 sacks last season in earning his first Pro Bowl. He has 21 sacks in the three seasons since the 49ers used the seventh overall pick on Buckner.
Buckner should find it even easier to get after the quarterback with the 49ers having traded for Ford and drafted Nick Bosa with the second overall choice. Ford and Bosa should give San Francisco the outside rush it lacked last season.
“Now, we’ve got to show y’all,” Buckner said. “Now we have to win.”