In Week 6, the San Francisco 49ers narrowly defeated the Washington Commanders. The red and gold came out of the gates hot but cooled off in the second half, winning the game by only a score.
On the Commanders' second-to-last drive, the 49ers got a momentum-changing fourth-down stop on a Jayden Daniels endzone pass. Oddly enough, they have none other than Trey Lance to thank for foiling the play.
Well, sort of.
The former third-overall draft pick clearly ended up being one of, if not the biggest bust in franchise history, but he didn't leave San Francisco without a parting gift: a 2024 4th-round draft pick. The 49ers used it to select safety Malik Mustapha.
Mustapha was the one responsible for making the touchdown-saving stop. When Daniels threw the dart toward the pile on, wide receiver Treylon Burks caught the ball. Mustapha, though, slammed Burks to the ground, jarring the ball loose, which resulted in a turnover on downs.
The score would've put Washington ahead, assuming they made the point after. Given how anemic the 49ers' offensewas looking at the time, it's a good thing Mustapha denied the Commanders the lead.
49ers 4th-round pick already contributing more than Trey Lance ever did
This one play might be enough to make Mustapha a more valuable asset than Lance ever was.
The 49ers won just one of the three games Lance started in his 49ers career, a 23-7 victory propelled by the defense, over the 4-12 Texans. The following year, he started one game before getting hurt in the beginning of Week 2's matchup against the Seahawks. Jimmy Garoppolo filled in until Week 13. After his injury, Brock Purdy took over and never looked back.
Mustapha, on the other hand, has performed admirably for the red and gold. Thus far in 2026, PFF ranks him the seventh-best safety in the NFL. Despite his second-string status, he has accrued 20 tackles and deflected three passes.
In short, he has played his role admirably for a team that ranks fourth in points allowed.
Trey Lance's contribution to win is a small consolation prize for 49ers' turmoil
While Lance cost the 49ers numerous 1st-round picks and nearly derailed the franchise for a period of time, Mustapha is doing his best to heal those wounds.
In terms of compensation for the busted pick, the win is certainly a step in the right direction. The Niners must continue ignore the past, though, and focus on capitalizing on their red-hot start to 2026.
With Mustapha and the rest of the secondary playing at an elite level, there is no telling what coordinator Raheem Morris' unit is capable of. In a way, Trey Lance has contributed to its stoutness by gifting another ball hawk to a team that is already full of them.
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