Nearly four months after the 49ers' 2024 NFL regular-season finale, a significant injury to safety Malik Mustapha has come to light.
During the 49ers' 47-24 loss to the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium, Mustapha sustained a right ACL injury that required surgery, NBC Sports Bay Area's Jennifer Lee Chan confirmed Saturday night.
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SIGN UP HERE ESPN's Nick Wagoner was first to report news of Mustapha's injury, which occurred on Jan. 5 when he was cleated during the second quarter.
Per Wagoner, an MRI on Mustapha's knee revealed that he tore the graft used to repair a prior ACL injury sustained while at Wake Forest in January 2022.
Due to the timing of the injury and subsequent surgery, Mustapha isn't expected to be ready for the beginning of the 2025 NFL season and a midseason return is more likely, Wagoner reported, citing sources.
A source told Wagoner that the 22-year-old Mustapha has been rehabbing his surgically repaired right knee at the 49ers' facility.
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The 49ers selected Mustapha in the fourth round (No. 124 overall) last year and he paid immediate dividends, recording 72 total tackles and one interception in 16 games. He ultimately started 12 of those contests.
Mustapha's first NFL season caught enough national attention that he received AP Defensive Rookie of the Year votes.
Assuming they are healthy, Ji'Ayir Brown and George Odum likely will see a bulk of the time at the starting safety positions while Mustapha works his way back.
Aside from Mustapha, the 49ers have veteran safeties Richie Grant and Jason Pinnock on the roster. The depth chart is rounded out by Quindell Johnson, Jaylen Mahoney and 2025 fifth-round draft pick Marques Sigle out of Kansas State.