How Greenlaw and Hufanga impact the 49ers with imminent returns originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Talanoa Hufanga And Dr. Greenlaw are returning to the field but their energy has already made a difference on the 49ers practice field.
Hufanga practiced all week with a club-shaped cast on his right wrist and was listed as a limited participant on the injury report, along with Greenlaw, who is returning from Achilles tendon injury.
The All-Pro safety is expected to return Sunday when the Chicago Bears come to town, while Greenlaw expected to make season debut against the Los Angeles Rams a few days later on “Thursday Night Football.”
“These guys have so much energy and they bring so much just to have it there, it’s cool,” defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen said Thursday. “It’s good to see these guys again. I think they’re excited and we all feed off that.
It was a difficult season for the 49ers defense, without several of its starters during the first 12 games. Hufanga and Greenlaw could give San Francisco the boost it needs.
Hufanga, returning from an ACL injury midway through the 2023 season, injured his wrist in week 5 after playing only two matches.
“I feel good,” Hufanga said Thursday. “I had to run today, trying to stay in shape as best I can. Super excited, that’s for sure. I just had to stay positive because at some point I knew I was going to make a comeback.
The two defenders supported each other during their recoveries, which allowed them to maintain morale.
“Every time I go out on the field, I call it ‘Big Play,’” Hufanga said, referring to Greenlaw. “He always looks back and says, ‘I’ll see you at 2-9.’
Sorensen is pleased with how the veteran defenders look on the field and thinks their energy alone has helped the 49ers during practice.
“He looked good,” Sorensen said of Greenlaw. “I think he feels good. I think with him it’s day to day hoping he feels good today and he feels better tomorrow and we’ll see. But he looks good. I think he enjoys being back there. It looks great. He looks like Dre.
