49ers news: Talanoa Hufanga is set to make his season debut against the Rams

On Monday, San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan hinted that safety Talanoa Hufanga could return to the lineup against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 3. On Wednesday, Hufanga is off the injury report and will be a full participant in practice for the first time since injury last season against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Here’s Shanahan on what losing Hufanga was like last season:

“It got Tig [Ji’Ayir Brown] a lot of reps last year. He had to step into the middle. It got him a lot better. But, obviously, you always miss Huf out there. The big play ability, how well he communicates, flying sideline to sideline. We’re going to be pumped. He should get back this week if everything goes right. We’ve missed him.”

The 49ers worked out three defensive backs on Tuesday, perhaps as a precursor if Hufanga wasn’t ready. Shanahan said, “not right now” when asked if the team will make any roster moves this week.

There also won’t be any changes at punt returner. Shanahan has the utmost confidence in rookie Jacob Cowing:

“No. It’s just one muffed punt. He’s been as natural of a catcher as we’ve had in our eight years here, just in practice and how he’s been in the games. I know that one got away from him, which we can’t have those. Everyone muffs one here and there. You just hope that was the end of it.”

Shanahan had a strong “no” when asked whether there was any Achilles involvement in Deebo Samuel’s calf strain. Samuel is the only player on the injury report who did not practice on Wednesday.

As for the punt block, Shanahan said the right side of the line was late off the ball, “which made one guy a little bit behind, and the guy outside of him was a little too wide. He could’ve been a little tighter to save him. We had a snap count that tried to surprise them, and it surprised one of our guys. If you miss half a second on the road, that guy split us. Should’ve kept it tighter on the outside, but we gave them too quick of a lane.”

How about that? A silent count went wrong for the team with the ball. You don’t hear that too often.