Unfortunately, Hufanga did not practice this week, though that doesn't rule out his availability for Week 1.
When asked on Tuesday if Hufanga might start the season on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list, head coach Kyle Shanahan replied, "Not necessarily. That's still up for discussion right now. He got cleared last week, so it's been good that he can do real football drills and stuff with the trainers and everything. He's been going a lot harder with that. I think two days on, two days off. Hopefully, it goes real well this week, and maybe we can ease him into practice next week."
In his last full season, Hufanga recorded a career-high 97 tackles, five for a loss, three quarterback hits, four interceptions, a touchdown, two sacks, nine passes defensed, and two forced fumbles. His outstanding performance earned him Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors during that 2022 campaign.
Speaking to Bay Area radio station KNBR on Wednesday, Shanahan elaborated, "It was huge getting cleared. The big thing was getting cleared by his doctor last week, which allowed him to really push it hard on football drills, that his knee was recovered enough to push that hard, and it was safe. And that's really what we've been doing with him since—I believe that was last Thursday.
Shanahan added, "He's got a number of good days in. He's out there with the trainers, where they're simulating routes and having him do reactionary stuff, which is the last step in getting back to the practice field. As long as this week and this weekend goes right, hopefully, we can ease him into practice a little bit next week. And if he handles that and is able to ease in, then it gives him a better chance to be ready for Week 1, or at least not start the season on PUP."
With Super Bowl aspirations, the 49ers are eager to have Hufanga back on the field. However, some fans are concerned that Hufanga won't have enough time to get into football shape before the start of the season. Understandably, the 49ers are being cautious with his return.
"We've got guys, they've got all that [figured out]," defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen told reporters on Wednesday. "They've been doing this for a long time, and they're really good at it, so they have all the metrics and the measurements and all the checkpoints, which he's been going through that process.
"There's so much years and years of data, and they've been with him. They'll let us know. So I think it's just [a matter of time]."
Sorensen noted that comfort levels when returning from a severe injury vary from player to player. However, he emphasized that Hufanga has already gained significant experience in his short NFL career.
"With someone like Huff, you would trust him once he comes back, and he's communicating like he did, he's moving like he did," Sorensen continued. "And you can trust what you're seeing, but also what they're telling you about their comfort level. It would be different than someone who's new or someone who's played eight years. So, I think with him, it's once he feels good and ready to go, we'll go with that."
While the 49ers remain hopeful that Hufanga will be ready for Week 1 against the New York Jets, they are prioritizing his long-term health, understanding his importance for the entire season. Once cleared, Hufanga's experience and talent will significantly bolster San Francisco's chances of returning to the Super Bowl.
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