The long-awaited return of safety Talanoa Hufanga could come as early as the San Francisco 49ers Week 3 matchup versus the Los Angeles Rams. On Wednesday, the fourth-year pro practiced in full for the first time since tearing his ACL in the second half of the 2023 season. His official return to practice came at the end of August, but he wasn't given the green light to be full-go until days before the 49ers first NFC West game of the year.
Hufanga suffered his injury in the third quarter of the 49ers 27-14 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 11 and that opened the door for then rookie Ji'Ayir Brown to step into the lineup alongside former safety Tashaun Gipson Sr.
Brown went on to finish that Week 11 contest with four tackles, an interception and three pass breakups and got the nod to start in five more regular season games, the NFC Championship Game versus the Detroit Lions and Super Bowl LVIII against the Kansas City Chiefs.
"It got Tig (Brown), a lot of reps last year," Shanahan said. "He had to step in, in the middle of the year and that got him a lot better, but obviously, you always miss Huf out there. The big play capability, how well he communicates, flying sideline to sideline. We're going to be pumped. He should get back this week if everything goes right. We've missed him."
In 2022, Hufanga was one of six San Francisco players to earn First-Team All-Pros honors, and in 2023 prior to his injury, he amassed 52 total tackles, three interceptions and three passes defensed in ten starts.
