After an All-Pro, Pro Bowl 2022 season and promising start to 2023, the 49ers are eagerly waiting for the return of fourth-year veteran, Talanoa Hufanga. The safety went down in Week 11 last year with a season-ending ACL injury, and was one of a few veterans present at the team’s mandatory minicamp this offseason as he continued his rehab.
“I’m feeling great,” Hufanga said. “I get a little eager out there. I’m super excited. It’s fun. The days I get to go out there and watch practices, it’s been a blessing. You see how much football truly means to you when you’re away from it. It’s everything to me. I truly do love it.”
Stepping up at a crucial moment for the team in 2023 was former third-round pick Ji’Ayir Brown. As he enters his sophomore campaign, the safety is being recognized as an “on the rise” player in NFL.com analyst Bucky Brooks’ 2024 NFL All-Breakout Team.
“The ball-hawking safety lived up to his reputation in Year 1,” Brooks wrote. “Brown notched a pair of regular-season interceptions and a postseason pick as a part-time starter who was thrown into the fire following Hufanga’s season-ending injury. The interceptions showcased his range and ball skills, adding a dimension to a defensive backfield that feasts on tipped passes and overthrown balls down the field. With the 49ers expected to return to a scheme that places a premium on turnovers, the second-year pro could become a household name as a takeaway specialist on an elite defense.”
Joining the squad this year are rookies Jaylen Mahoney, an undrafted free agent from Vanderbilt, and Malik Mustapha, a fourth-round draft pick from Wake Forest. The two safeties join a competitive roster aiming to elevate the team’s performance in the upcoming season.
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