Recent report creates new questions for future of top 49ers defender

According to one notable NFL insider, Talanoa Hufanga isn't expected to return this season, which means his 49ers tenure is likely finished.

Update: Mike Silver, who provided the original report, later reported that Talanoa Hufanga's agent says the safety is planning on returning soon but will play with a cast.

By now, most San Francisco 49ers fans have grown numb to injury reports. Seemingly every week, there's some sort of glaring reveal that suggests a key player is either going to miss a long period of time or has been ruled out for the season.

Whether it's been All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey's year-to-date absence because of Achilles issues, or the recent heartbreak surrounding wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk's season-ending knee injury suffered in Week 7, the Niners have had more than their fair share of injury setbacks.

But McCaffrey and Aiyuk figure to be in San Francisco's long-term picture.

All-Pro safety Talanoa Hufanga, however, does not.

And the latest news from one NFL insider suggests the 2022 All-Pro might have already played his last game in a 49ers uniform.

Talanoa Hufanga isn't expected to play again this season, 49ers tenure fully in question

Hufanga's long-term future with the Niners was also put into question once the Niners used a fourth-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft on safety Malik Mustapha, who has impressed as a backup and fill-in starter already this year.

Along with second-year pro Ji'Ayir Brown, who was shoved into a starting role when Hufanga tore his ACL in 2023, San Francisco appears to have its starting safety tandem in place for 2025.

Of note, Hufanga is scheduled to become a free agent next year.

Hufanga missed the first two weeks of 2024 while finishing up his ACL recovery and appeared in two games for the 49ers before suffering a wrist injury in the Week 5 loss against the Los Angeles Rams, one that landed him on injured reserve.

According to NFL insider Mike Silver of The Athletic, the expectation from the Niners is Hufanga's recent injury is of the season-ending variety:

Brutal.

Hufanga, one of the many late-round draft gems San Francisco has found in recent years, might not have fit into its long-term plans anyway, evidenced by the Brown and Mustapha picks.

That said, the 49ers would prefer to have the fan-favorite available amid what's been a disastrous season on the injury front while they look to return to the Super Bowl after losing it to the Kansas City Chiefs last February.

Unfortunately, assuming Silver's report is accurate, it appears as if the next time Hufanga takes the field, it'll likely be in another uniform elsewhere.

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