In a devastating blow to the 49ers defense, safety Talanoa Hufanga suffered a torn ACL, leaving the team without a key player. General Manager John Lynch spoke about the impact of Hufanga’s absence on San Francisco’s defense during 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.

Fortunately for the 49ers, rookie Ji’Ayir Brown stepped in for Hufanga and demonstrated his potential by intercepting a pass from Baker Mayfield. Drafted in the third round, Brown is seen as a promising football player with great ball skills. Although he has 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.