Dre Greenlaw was not the only 49ers defensive standout unavailable for the conclusion of Super Bowl LVIII; the team played the stretch run without All-Pro safety Talanoa Hufanga. The two-year starter’s late-season ACL tear leaves his status for 2024 in question.
Hufanga suffered the injury during the 49ers’ Thanksgiving win over the Seahawks. It is not certain Hufanga joins Greenlaw as starters sidelined to open the season, but the contract-year DB is still a ways away from being ready to return.
“The goal is to ready by Week 1,” Hufanga said, via 49ersWebZone.com’s David Bonilla. “The goal is to be in training camp, not at the very beginning, but to ramp me up correctly, just so it’s not, ‘Throw you out there to the wolves and good luck.'”
A former fifth-round pick, Hufanga showed himself to be a difference-maker at safety during the 2022 season. He became the second 49ers safety this century, joining Dashon Goldson (2012), to earn first-team All-Pro acclaim. Hufanga, 25, profiles as an extension candidate for a 49ers team flush with those. In the secondary alone, Hufanga joins Charvarius Ward and Deommodore Lenoir as contract-year cogs. Ward is targeting a 49ers extension; Hufanga stands to be in this conversation upon return from his knee injury.
After a four-interception 2022, Hufanga picked off three passes before his injury last season. The 49ers moved third-round rookie Ji’Ayir Brown into the lineup alongside Tashaun Gipson. Although Gipson has come up as a player the 49ers would consider re-signing, the San Jose Mercury News’ Cam Inman notes Brown looks to be locked into a starting role. This would shift the conversation of a San Francisco safety addition to that player merely being a placeholder until Hufanga returns.
The 49ers signed De’Vondre Campbell for a gig like this, as the three-year Packers starter is expected to begin the season as a three-down linebacker alongside Fred Warner until Greenlaw returns. Brown moving to a level in which the 49ers feel comfortable using him as a full-timer would change the conversation at safety, and it would give the defending NFC champions a low-cost piece on a team featuring several contract situations. Brown’s rookie contract runs through 2026.
The Penn State product started five games in place of Hufanga during the regular season and was in San Francisco’s lineup for its three playoff outings. He intercepted a Patrick Mahomes pass in the Super Bowl. While Gipson started the past two seasons with the 49ers, the well-traveled veteran has played 12 seasons and is not a lock to pursue a 13th.
San Francisco drafted Malik Mustapha in the fourth round and used All-Pro special-teamer George Odum as the first-stringer alongside Brown during the offseason program. If Gipson does not want to play an age-34 season, the 49ers would have some options as veteran insurance while Hufanga rehabs. A few free agent safeties, however, probably view themselves as overqualified for a placeholder/insurance gig. While the market includes Justin Simmons, Quandre Diggs and Jamal Adams, they will likely hold out for a better opportunity. Marcus Maye and Eddie Jackson join this trio as unattached, and opportunities might be scarce come training camp. This should put the 49ers in good position to add if they choose to.
I wouldn’t want Adams as he’s become a major liability in coverage, but any of the aforementioned options would easily be welcomed on one year deals.
I don’t understand why the 49ers wouldn’t just bring in Simmons. Give him the reigns along with Brown, and then bring Huf along slowly.
Then, once Huf is back allow him to act as their occasional 3rd LB or sometimes replacing Campbell, allowing him to ease back into the action.
Then, mix and match your safeties accordingly with Huf being used as a hybrid LB until he proves hes ready to take over for Brown.
You can still use 3 safeties in some dime alignments, and it’ll allow the 49ers to keep everyone fresh and seeing playing time.
You don’t want to have to bring someone in during the pre-season or mid-season when you can have the advantage of doing it now. They gain a better understanding of their teammates, their role, their assignments, communication on the field, etc. It only benefits the team and the player by getting them in early.
Besides, why wait, and then you might not have any options. There may be a few teams that suffer injuries during their mandatory camps or the pre-season, and then you’re stuck with whichever guy is left.
I guess for the 49ers they have a built in safety net in Gipson, but who is to say he even still wants to play?
Yes, these current overly qualified veteran free agents may be waiting out a starting role, but I’m sure some of them would at least be willing to play for a contender on a part-time role rather than not playing at all..
Then, the longer you sit out the less likely it is that you’re going to have success wheb you do come in with a team. You’re also more likely to sustain an injury yourself by missing camp and the pre-season.
Then, if you sit out a year, it isn’t like a team is all of a sudden going to sign you to a big contract out of nowhere after you’re coming off bot playing for a season. You’re still going to get a prove it deal, and then you’re rusty and significantly way more likely to get hurt or perform poorly and then you’re career is practically over…
Anyways, I’m glad the 49ers went ahead and signed Logan Thomas for insurance at the back-up TE spot, but they need insurance at Safety as well if they aren’t confident in Mustapha. We all know Odom isn’t a starting safety. He’s a very solid ST guy, but that’s it. If they are confident Mustapha can step up in case Brown falters/gets hurt or Huf doesn’t come back 100%, then this is all a moot point. Although, that’s alot to put on a mid to late round Rookie.
I mean, so far all the reports I have read on Malik Mustapha are very positive, and he is practically a Huf clone in their styles of how they play the safety spot, so we’ll see.
He could very well end up being a huge steal for the 49ers, and they may let Huf walk after this year either way.
The 49ers’ depth chart is mostly already written in pen, but there are a few holes at LB, S, WR, TE, and IOL that will be very interesting to see how everything plays out moving forward..