Which 49ers players are on the bubble entering training camp?
By Peter Panacy
49ers training camp bubble watch: Safety
Lock: Jimmie Ward, Talanoa Hufanga, George Odum
Strong bubble: Tarvarius Moore
Weak bubble: Leon O’Neal Jr.*
Long shot: Tayler Hawkins*
* denotes rookie
The Niners watched long-time starting strong safety Jaquiski Tartt sign a new deal with the Philadelphia Eagles this offseason, and they may have been hoping to insert second-year pro Talanoa Hufanga into the starting job all along anyway.
Hufanga received the bulk of first-team reps during offseason workouts, and it’s likely his job to lose once training camp commences.
This doesn’t bode well for veteran defensive back Talanoa Hufanga, though, who is trying to work his way back from a torn Achilles suffered last offseason that prematurely ended his 2021 campaign.
If San Francisco keeps Moore as a big-nickel safety, his roster spot is likely safe, while fifth-year veteran George Odum’s special teams prowess keeps him as a lock, too.
Whether or not Odum starts, however, is anyone’s guess.
As far as the two undrafted rookies, it’s feasible that neither winds up surviving roster cuts and making it onto the 53-man roster, yet a designation to the practice squad for one of them is certainly in play.