The San Francisco 49ers were in a bit of a bind this offseason, as they had several players who wanted new contracts set to hit the open market. They also needed to pay quarterback Brock Purdy, so not everyone made the cut in San Francisco.
Among the most painful departures were defenders Dre Greenlaw, Charvarius Ward, Javon Hargrave and Talanoa Hufanga. Ward landed with the Indianapolis Colts, Hargrave with the Minnesota Vikings, and both Greenlaw and Hufanga joined forces with the Denver Broncos.
None of these players produced as much in 2024 as they did in 2023, so parting ways with them was obvious, in a sense.
However, several of them put together strong performances with their new teams in Week 1 of the 2025 NFL season, and Hufanga's showing, in particular, was bittersweet.
Former 49ers safety Talanoa Hufanga shows out in Broncos debut
On Sunday, the Broncos struggled to take down quarterback Cam Ward and the Tennessee Titans, but it was not for lack of a strong defensive effort. Hufanga led the charge for Denver, as he recorded a team-high 10 total tackles and seven solo tackles.
Hufanga also forced a fumble on veteran Titans running back Tony Pollard when Tennessee got into Denver territory, so the former Niners defensive back saved what might have been a scoring drive. This ended up being crucial in the scope of the game because the Broncos won by just eight points.
He also recorded a strong Pro Football Focus grade, as his 68.7 mark was seventh on the team out of 17 players who subbed in on defense. His 84.2 run-defense grade was the best mark for Denver, as he missed just one tackle, making 10.
After an All-Pro campaign in 2022, Hufanga could never quite get his career back on track in San Francisco. Injuries plagued him throughout 2023 and 2024, as he appeared in just 17 games over the course of those two seasons.
But, he provided so many exciting moments for 49ers fans in his brief flash in the pan that the fanbase has a level of love and respect for him that transcends wherever he ends up playing. This is especially true because the Niners do not play the Broncos this season and reside in separate conferences anyway.
Hopefully, Greenlaw can get out there for the Broncos and star alongside Hufanga next week, as San Francisco fans know all that he has been through as well.
But this was a good start for the still-young safety, and it's bittersweet for 49ers fans.