49ers safety Hufanga goes on injured reserve with wrist injury

Jerry McDonald, The Mercury News on Oct 9, 2024

Published in Football

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Talanoa Hufanga can’t catch a break.

An All-Pro safety in 2022, Hufanga was placed on injured reserve Wednesday because of torn ligaments in his wrist, meaning he will miss at least four games.

It didn’t come as a complete surprise, given coach Kyle Shanahan’s assessment of the injury Tuesday.

“It will be at least a month, probably longer,” Shanahan said.

Tight end Brayden Willis was promoted to the 53-man roster to replace Hufanga.

A year ago, Hufanga went down with a torn ACL against Tampa Bay in the season’s 11th game. Surgery ended his season, including the 49ers’ playoff run to the Super Bowl.

Hufanga made it back to the field for the 49ers’ Week 3 loss to the Los Angeles Rams and played 53 snaps with seven tackles, but missed the New England game with an ankle injury. He departed after 11 snaps in a 24-23 loss to Arizona with the wrist injury.

Listed as out for the 49ers for Thursday night’s game in Seattle were place kicker Jake Moody (ankle) and defensive tackle Jordan Elliott (knee). Cornerback Charvarius Ward (knee) and wide receiver Chris Conley (oblique) are questionable.

With Hufanga out for the foreseeable future, the 49ers’ strong safety position belongs to rookie fourth-round draft pick Malik Mustapha. The Wake Forest product started against New England and played all 64 snaps.

Replacing Moody will be free agent Matthew Wright, who joined the 49ers Tuesday. It’s unclear whether Moody will be placed on injured reserve, although it seems likely he’d be out a month or longer with a high ankle sprain sustained while making a tackle on a kickoff return against Arizona.

Ward, who has yet to play to his All-Pro form of a year ago, showed up on the injury report following Sunday’s loss. He told the media Tuesday he expects to play.

“I feel good, good enough,” Ward said.

Elliott has been battling a knee injury for the last three weeks, and couldn’t make it back on short rest after playing 28 snaps against Arizona.

Listed as out for Seattle are defensive tackle Byron Murphy (hamstring), linebacker Uchenna Owusu and cornerback Tariq Woolen (ankle). Linebacker Derrick Hall (foot), safety Julian Love (hamstring) and linebacker Boye Mafe (knee) are questionable.

____