Safety Talanoa Hufanga is expected to return to action Sunday for the first time since sustaining a wrist injury two months ago.
The 49ers activated Hufanga from injured reserve on a busy day for roster moves as the team gets set to face the Chicago Bears at Levi’s Stadium in Week 14.
Hufanga, in the final year of his original four-year contract with the 49ers, has appeared in just two games this season. He sat out the first two games of the season as he recovered from a torn ACL that ended his 2023 season.
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To make room for Hufanga on the 53-man roster, the 49ers placed running back Jordan Mason and safety George Odum on injured reserve.
Mason sustained a high ankle sprain in the 49ers’ 35-10 loss last week to the Buffalo Bills. Odum sustained a knee injury during the week and will finish the season on the injured reserve list.
The 49ers also promoted backup offensive lineman Sebastian Gutierrez to the 53-man roster from the practice squad.
Gutierrez will be the 49ers’ eighth offensive lineman against the Bears, as the club downgraded guard Aaron Banks to out. He will miss his second consecutive game due to a concussion. The 49ers originally listed Banks as questionable on Friday.
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The 49ers also downgraded defensive end Nick Bosa to out. He was listed as doubtful. Bosa will miss his third consecutive game due to hip and oblique injuries.
The 49ers flexed running back Ke’Shawn Vaughn and linebacker Jalen Graham up from the practice squad. Vaughn is expected to suit up over newly added running back Israel Abanikanda, who the 49ers claimed off waivers from the New York Jets.
Abanikanda was a fifth-round pick of the Jets in 2023. He appeared in six games as a rookie but did not suit up for any of the Jets’ games this season before he was waived.
On Friday, the 49ers also declared left tackle Trent Willams (ankle) and linebacker Dre Greenlaw (Achilles) as out for Sunday’s game.
Greenlaw remains on the physically-unable-to-perform list from the torn Achilles he sustained in the Super Bowl. The 49ers plan to activate Greenlaw for the 49ers’ Week 15 game on Thursday against the Los Angeles Rams.