The San Francisco 49ers have been plagued by injury issues throughout the 2024 season, and their latest roster move only adds to their challenges.
After sustaining a wrist injury in a 24-23 loss to the Arizona Cardinals, 49ers safety Talanoa Hufanga has been placed on injured reserve. The team announced the move on October 9.
“The San Francisco 49ers today announced they have promoted TE Brayden Willis to the active roster from the team’s practice squad,” the announcement reads. “To make room on the roster, the team placed S Talanoa Hufanga on the Injured Reserve list.”
Anyone following the 49ers this season knows just how unlucky they’ve been with injuries. Losing Hufanga for at least four weeks intensifies the pressure on a team already feeling the heat.
If the 49ers had managed to secure a win against the Cardinals, they might have had some breathing room going into Thursday night’s game against the Seattle Seahawks. Instead, the short week has set the stage for a crucial matchup that feels almost like a must-win just six weeks into the season.
49ers Missing Key Players for Thursday Night Football
In addition to Hufanga heading to IR, the 49ers will be without kicker Jake Moody and several others. The latest injury report has ruled out LB Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles (calf) and DT Jordan Elliott (knee).
San Francisco is also closely monitoring two players listed as questionable. WR Chris Conley is dealing with an oblique injury, while CB Charvarius Ward is managing a knee issue.
While Conley’s absence would hurt, Ward is the more significant concern. The defense is already thin due to the loss of key defensive tackles, and being without their top cornerback, along with Hufanga, could be disastrous.
These latest injuries come on top of other players already on IR or ruled out in advance.
DE Yetur Gross-Matos
DT Javon Hargrave
DE Drake Jackson
LB Dre Greenlaw
LB Curtis Robinson
CB Ambry Thomas
WR Ricky Pearsall
C/G Jon Feliciano
RB Christian McCaffrey
49ers Star Criticizes Team’s Adjustments
San Francisco blew a two-score lead against the Cardinals, despite three second-half turnovers from the offense. However, DE Nick Bosa believes the defense failed to make the necessary adjustments to secure the win.
“They were giving us a different look on the zone read,” Bosa told NBC Sports on October 6. “In all our losses, we’ve prepared well. But teams are playing us differently, and we need to adjust better.”
Defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen, however, disagreed with Bosa’s assessment in a press conference days later.
“I don’t think it was a matter of failing to adjust. We changed some calls and mixed it up, whether playing two-high or bringing pressure,” Sorensen explained.
As the 49ers prepare for Thursday night without key players, tensions are evident within the team’s defense.
