Head coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed that Talanoa Hufanga is set to make his 2024 season debut when the San Francisco 49ers travel to SoFi Stadium to face the Los Angeles Rams this weekend. Hufanga returns after recovering from an ACL injury sustained in November 2023.
Aside from those on injury lists, the only player who will miss practice on Wednesday is wide receiver Deebo Samuel, who is expected to miss the next couple of games due to a calf strain. Shanahan shared that the rest of the team is full-go, and Hufanga will be among the full participants.
Ji'Ayir Brown and George Odum started at safety for the 49ers' first two games, with Malik Mustapha rotating in during the Week 2 loss to the Minnesota Vikings.
"It was nice to mix Malik in last week," Shanahan said. "I thought he did well with his reps."
Shanahan noted that Hufanga's absence last season gave Brown valuable experience stepping in for the All-Pro safety.
"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, always miss Huf out there, the big-play capability, how well he communicates, flying sideline to sideline. We're gonna be pumped."
Shanahan added, "He should get back this week, if everything goes right, and we've missed him."
In his last full season in 2022, Hufanga recorded 97 tackles, five tackles for loss, three quarterback hits, four interceptions, one touchdown, nine passes defensed, and two sacks over 17 starts, earning first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors.
The 49ers selected Hufanga out of USC in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL Draft.