San Francisco’s defense took a significant hit when safety Talanoa Hufanga suffered a torn ACL. The impact of his absence on the team was discussed by General Manager John Lynch in an interview with KNBR’s Murph and Mac show. Lynch described Hufanga as an energetic, passionate, and instinctive player who serves as a playmaker for the team.

The rookie Ji’Ayir Brown stepped in for Hufanga and demonstrated his potential by intercepting a pass from Baker Mayfield. Brown, who was drafted in the third round, is seen as a promising football player with great ball skills. Despite his limited playing time, he has proven himself as a contributor on special teams and has shown improvement each week. Now, he will have the opportunity to start in the game against the Seahawks on Thursday night.

The 49ers are counting on Brown to step up and fill the void left by Hufanga’s absence on the defense. Lynch and the coaching staff have confidence in Brown’s abilities and are eager to see how he performs as a starter. His performance in the upcoming game will be closely watched as he takes on this new responsibility.