On a short week, the 49ers don't want to have a chunk of their key defenders out on Thursday night against the Seahawks.
Update: The Niners have placed Talanoa Hufanga on injured reserve and promoted tight end Brayden Willis to the 53-man roster, per NBC Sports Bay Area's Matt Maiocco.
Aside from yet another fourth-quarter collapse, injuries played a major role in the San Francisco 49ers' Week 5 home loss to the Arizona Cardinals.
The ramifications of which are going to carry over on a short week when the Niners travel up north to face the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday Night Football.
Kicker Jake Moody is already expected to miss considerable time after suffering a high-ankle sprain against the red birds, but San Francisco is expected to announce the signing of journeyman kicker Matthew Wright in the corresponding move when Moody lands on injured reserve.
There are other notable injuries, too.
All-Pro safety Talanoa Hufanga suffered a wrist injury with ligament damage during the same game, and according to reports from The Athletic's Matt Barrows, the 49ers are debating whether or not to temporarily shelve Hufanga on IR after he already missed the first two games of the year following last season's ACL tear.
Needless to say, Hufanga won't be available for Thursday's contest at Lumen Field.
Unfortunately, Hufanga isn't the only defensive back appearing on the Niners' final injury report.
49ers injury report vs. Seahawks: Charvarius Ward a late add
If there's good news, tight end George Kittle (ribs) and linebacker Fred Warner (ankle) are fully off the injury report and cleared for Thursday's NFC West bout.
But San Francisco is still going to have concerns, particularly on defense.
Player | Injury | Game designation |
|---|---|---|
S Talanoa Hufanga | wrist | OUT |
K Jake Moody | ankle | OUT |
LB Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles | calf | OUT |
DT Jordan Elliott | knee | OUT |
CB Charvarius Ward | knee | Questionable |
WR Chris Conley | oblique | Questionable |
Ward, the 49ers' No. 1 cornerback, was listed on the week's injury report and didn't practice on Monday before being limited later in the week.
With Hufanga already out, the Niners may be forced to dip deeper into their pool of reserve defensive backs, likely putting more of an emphasis on two rookies, safety Malik Mustapha and cornerback Renardo Green.
Likewise, San Francisco is thin at defensive tackle already, and Elliott's absence puts the team in position to promote either defensive tackle, T.Y. McGill or Evan Anderson, up from the practice squad.
Moody and Hufanga could potentially be placed on IR on game day, which kicks off on Thursday, Oct. 10 at 8:15 p.m. ET.