Carrying an interesting market into free agency, Talanoa Hufanga has blended one of this decade’s top safety seasons with an injury-plagued recent past. The former All-Pro, however, has naturally generated interest.
The Broncos are signing the three-year starter, 9News’ Mike Klis reports. Denver had been mentioned as a team pursuing Hufanga, per ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler, even though they return both their 2024 safety starters. It would appear Hufanga will be in line to replace P.J. Locke alongside 2024 addition Brandon Jones in the Broncos’ starting lineup.
One of the top safeties available this offseason, Hufanga will not see his ACL tear and subsequent wrist injury cost him too much. His Broncos deal can be worth up to $45MM and includes $20MM guaranteed. Hufanga’s contract betters Jones’; the ex-Dolphin is on the Broncos’ cap sheet on a three-year, $20MM deal.
Denver is adding Hufanga ahead of his age-26 season and will hope the former fifth-round pick can remind of his 2022 form soon. Winning a starting job out of training camp that year, Hufanga intercepted four passes, forced two fumbles and posted two sacks for a top-five 49ers defense that season. Adding five TFLs that year, the USC product took one of his INTs back for a score. A year after cutting Justin Simmons, the Broncos have dived back into the safety market for help.
After a woeful 2023 start, Vance Joseph‘s unit has picked up the pieces. Jones was part of this effort last season, as Pro Football Focus graded him as the No. 3 overall safety. Hufanga stands to be an upgrade on Locke, who had helped the 2023 Bronco edition rebound before not faring quite as well last season. Locke is tied to a two-year, $7MM pact and could well slide back to the second-string role he played behind Simmons and Kareem Jackson prior to 2023. The Broncos could also save more than $4MM by releasing Locke.
The 49ers had expressed interest in re-signing Hufanga, but they did see his injuries give Ji’Ayir Brown and Malik Mustapha extensive playing time. San Francisco may opt to stay young at safety, especially as a big-ticket Brock Purdy extension looms. The Broncos will see Hufanga’s guarantees line up with Bo Nix‘s rookie contract.
Only niners loss so far that hurts. Suddenly real thin at safety
Don’t worry too much about it. He was always hurt. Injuries don’t just stop piling up.
Great pick up by Denver. Top rated and still relatively cheap Safety
49er season ticket holder. Denver will regret this signing. Very overrated player. Yes, he is very good at run support and stopping the run…Terrible at coverage…No ball sense whatsoever…Always in the wrong spot and guys constantly get behind him. I realize the former all pro status but I watched him play every week. Overrated and injury prone…Denver will regret this move. I’m happy the 49ers didn’t bring him back
Anything’s better than the play from pj Locke this past season.
It’ll be improvement and he can be coached up
Yes Calmike. And not quick in coverage. Slow first step and avg speed. Great vs run. And tough. Tackled hard. And yes hurt too much. They have drafted DBs well so they can afford his loss.
Denver’s injuries last year at safety were pretty tough, so Hufanga is definitely worth a shot. The bigger problem, I think, is availability. Granted, I’m no Niner fan, but the defense as a whole slid off in assignment discipline and coverage last year.
It may not happen, but you’d hope that a veteran coordinator like Joseph and a more talented defense can limit Hufanga into doing what he does best, and not overstretch him.
Likewise Mike. Definitely struggles in coverage at times, but I’m not sure who we bring in that’s better