49ers: Why Talanoa Hufanga pushes Marcell Harris off roster by Week 1

The 49ers wanted better pass-coverage skills at safety, meaning rookie Talanoa Hufanga is in position to push Marcell Harris off the roster.

The San Francisco 49ers couldn’t have been satisfied with their safety depth in 2021, which was tested to the extreme once again following yet another season-ending injury to the starter, Jaquiski Tartt.

Tartt, when healthy, makes the Niners a better defensive team. No questioning that. But his lengthy rap sheet of injuries has forced head coach Kyle Shanahan and Co. to deploy more backups than he would have otherwise preferred.

Over the last two-plus years, a tandem of Tarvarius Moore and Marcell Harris has primarily been responsible for backing up Tartt. Moore, suffering a torn Achilles during this year’s OTAs, is now removed from the equation.

Yet Harris, whose 36.6 pass-coverage grade from Pro Football Focus last year suggests he’s going to be on the bubble anyway, now finds himself less guaranteed a spot, thanks to San Francisco’s fifth-round NFL Draft addition of USC safety Talanoa Hufanga.

Hufanga, like any day-three rookie, doesn’t have a guaranteed spot on the 53-man roster either. But it’s understandable why the 49ers targeted him, and it’s equally understandable why he, not Harris, winds up securing a primary backup job behind Tartt.

49ers are banking on Talanoa Hufanga to take Marcell Harris’ spot on the roster

Harris has been known for making the splash play or two ever since being selected in Round 6 in the 2018 NFL Draft out of Florida. But more frequently than not, Harris’ pass-coverage efforts have left a lot to be desired.

One early indication the Niners weren’t pleased with Harris was the free-agent grab of journeyman veteran safety Tavon Wilson, who despite primarily being a special teams ace for most of his career, has shown a knack for being a better coverage option than Harris.

Hufanga, meanwhile, made the most of his chances during the final six games of his collegiate tenure, registering an impressive four interceptions, another pass broken up and three sacks over that abbreviated span.

As a result, PFF rewarded Hufanga with an impressive 86.8 pass-coverage grade.

Related Story: Predicting 49ers depth chart at safety after Tarvarius Moore injury

Granted, Hufanga’s collegiate success doesn’t automatically mean he’ll have the same fruits at the NFL level. Hufanga’s straight-line speed is questionable at best, and there are the assumed difficulties any rookie will face upon transitioning to the pros. It’s just as possible Hufanga flames out during training camp and the preseason, too, almost mandating San Francisco to hold onto Harris as a result.

Yet that seems unlikely at this point. Sure, Moore’s serious injury increases Harris’ chances to hang around a bit longer, but one could make the argument the 49ers would be much smarter investing the time and energy to develop Hufanga instead of hoping Harris puts it all together entering year four of his pro career.

And while Hufanga might have his limitations, the fact he’s already known for being a playmaker at the college level should make him a favorite to earn a spot on the 53-man roster as Tartt’s primary backup.

Even if this winds up coming at Harris’ expense, which seems likely to be the case.