The 49ers are hopeful that safety Talanoa Hufanga will recover from the torn ACL he suffered in November in time for Week 1.
"Talanoa is doing really well. That's the great news," general manager John Lynch said last week. "He's rehabbing extremely well, beating the timeline. Everybody does. But Talanoa is a worker, and he's doing a great job."
Ji'Ayir Brown, who stepped in for the injured Hufanga last season, showed promise lining up alongside Tashaun Gipson.
"We're incredibly high on Ji'Ayir and his prospects for becoming a player at that position that we can really trust, and a playmaker as well," Lynch continued.
Gipson remains a free agent, and there is always the possibility that the 33-year-old safety might retire, a decision he flirted with last year before signing a one-year deal with San Francisco.
In all likelihood, Hufanga will line up with Brown in the backfield in 2024. But with Hufanga's status far from certain, the 49ers have been considering their options, including hosting free agent Julian Blackmon on a visit and doing their homework on safeties entering the draft.
Moton offers another solution for defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen's unit: a potential trade between the 49ers and the New England Patriots, bringing versatile Jabrill Peppers to the Bay Area.
"For veteran insurance, the 49ers could acquire Jabrill Peppers, an athletic defensive back who's played both safety spots and slot cornerback in seven campaigns," Moton wrote. "Last year with the New England Patriots, the 28-year-old had one of his best seasons, logging 78 tackles, five for loss, a sack, eight pass breakups and two interceptions while allowing a 72.7 passer rating in coverage."
Pro Football Focus awarded Peppers career-high overall (87.3), run defense (90.7), and coverage (83.2) grades in 2023. The analytics site considers his past two seasons in New England among the best of his career.
While Moton noted Peppers allowed a 72.7 passer rating in coverage last season, Pro Football Focus actually calculated a 52.6 passer rating for opposing quarterbacks throwing in his direction.
Moton further commented, "The 49ers can slowly bring along Hufanga without giving Brown more than he can handle if they add Peppers to the roster. San Francisco could get this deal done with a late-round pick."
More San Francisco 49ers News
-
49ers mailbag: Why did SF abandon the run against Detroit? Will the 49ers focus on offense or defense this offseason? Will SF replace Nick Sorensen with Robert Saleh?
There are a lot of questions that will follow the San Francisco 49ers into the offseason. Who will get extensions? Who will be let go? What moves will they make in free agency and the draft? And many more. You have questions, as well, and that's a good thing because we opened... -
49ers announce roster moves ahead of season finale in Arizona
On Saturday, the San Francisco 49ers announced the following roster moves ahead of the 2024 season finale against the Arizona Cardinals: Promoted DL Alex Barrett from the team's practice squad Promoted LB DeShaun White from the practice squad Elevated WR Trent Taylor from the... -
Recap: Late mistakes halt 49ers in 40-34 shootout loss to Lions
The San Francisco 49ers gave the Detroit Lions all they could handle for much of their showdown at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara on Monday night, but in the end, it was the 49ers who wound up making the mistakes that cost them the game. The teams went back and forth on... -
49ers TE George Kittle reaches milestone against Lions
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle needed just 33 yards on Monday night to secure his fourth career season with at least 1,000 receiving yards. Kittle reached the milestone in the first quarter against the Detroit Lions, accomplishing it on the play shown...