San Francisco 49ers All-Pro facing a race against time to meet the deadline he set for himself
The impact of the torn ACL Talanoa Hufanga suffered last November may well stretch into the 2024 season. Hufanga, the San Francisco 49ers' All-Pro safety, was targeting a Week 1 return after sustaining his season-ending injury in a Week 11 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He was last week given the green light by […]
The impact of the torn ACL Talanoa Hufanga suffered last November may well stretch into the 2024 season.
Hufanga, the San Francisco 49ers' All-Pro safety, was targeting a Week 1 return after sustaining his season-ending injury in a Week 11 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
He was last week given the green light by his doctor to resume some football activities, however, head coach Kyle Shanahan said on Tuesday that Hufanga would not return to practice this week.
The door remains open for Hufanga to start in San Francisco's season opener against the New York Jets on Monday Night Football.
Asked if the situation is heading towards Hufanga starting the year on PUP: "Not necessarily. That’s still up for discussion right now.
"He got cleared last week, so it’s been good that he can do real football drills and stuff, with the trainers and everything. He’s been going a lot harder with that.
"I think two days on, two days off. Hopefully it goes real good this week and maybe we could ease him into practice next week."
But, even if Hufanga returns next week, that will give him just two weeks to prepare for his first game in just under a year.
Given Hufanga's lack of practice time, it may be more prudent for the 49ers to continue to bring him back slowly and pencil in either George Odum or rookie Malik Mustapha as the starter next to Ji'Ayir Brown for the start of the year.
The play of both Odum and Mustapha in training camp and preseason has been widely praised, so the 49ers would likely be comfortable going down that route.
But Hufanga and Brown, the 49ers' top pick last year who thrived down the stretch after Hufanga's injury, have the potential to form one of the most exciting young safety duos in the league.
To not get the chance to pair them right off the bat would be an obvious disappointment for the Niners and, if Odum or Mustapha can't rise to the challenge of starting, one that would leave a hole in an otherwise deep and talented secondary.
San Francisco 49ers’ latest injury setback all but confirms rookie’s status as a year-one starter
The path is clear for him.
