{"id":3063,"date":"2025-04-27T02:29:09","date_gmt":"2025-04-27T02:29:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/3063\/"},"modified":"2025-04-27T02:29:09","modified_gmt":"2025-04-27T02:29:09","slug":"49ers-safety-malik-mustapha-recovering-from-another-acl-surgery","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/3063\/","title":{"rendered":"49ers safety Malik Mustapha recovering from another ACL surgery"},"content":{"rendered":"

SANTA CLARA \u2014 It turns out the 49ers\u2019 defense was decimated more than they let on, as it\u2019s been revealed that\u00a0s<\/a>afety Malik Mustapha is recovering from his second anterior cruciate ligament repair in three years.<\/p>\n

Mustapha\u2019s ACL tear was confirmed in an MRI exam days after he got hurt in the 49ers\u2019 Jan. 6 season finale, although the team did not disclose it publicly then or throughout this offseason. ESPN\u2019s Nick Wagoner<\/a> reported it first after Saturday\u2019s draft concluded, and a team spokesman confirmed Mustapha\u2019s plight.<\/p>\n

Mustapha\u2019s hard-hitting style vaulted him into the starting lineup last season as a rookie, helping cover for the absence of fellow safety Talanoa Hufanga, who was coming off a 2023 ACL tear and also endured a wrist injury.<\/p>\n

Mustapha, as ESPN reported, tore the graft from his 2022 ACL repair, from which he returned to play 10 games in 2023 for Wake Forest. This past January\u2019s MRI revealed Mustapha required a second ACL surgery, and his meniscus and cartilage were unscathed.<\/p>\n

With Ji\u2019Ayir Brown set to return for his third season as a potential starter, the 49ers signed two veteran safeties last month in free agency \u2014 Jason Pinnock (New York Giants) and Richie Grant (Atlanta Falcons). They did not draft a safety until Saturday\u2019s fifth round, when they took Kansas State\u2019s Marques Sigle.<\/p>\n

General manager John Lynch made no reference to Mustapha\u2019s health before, during or after the draft, and instead he praised Sigle\u2019s ability to run the 40-yard dash in under 4.4 seconds: \u201cThat is a blazing time. He\u2019s got a lot of versatility to his game. He\u2019s a good tackler. He eats up. A term we use is \u2018taking the grass\u2019 and this is a guy who takes the grass. He takes the fight to the ball carrier to the receiver. I think he\u2019s going to be a really good fit for us.\u201d<\/p>\n

To offset last month\u2019s roster purge, the 49ers used their first five draft picks on defensive players: defensive end Mykel Williams, defensive tackle Alfred Collins, linebacker Nick Martin, cornerback Upton Stout and defensive tackle C.J. West.<\/p>\n

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