Latest news with #Pearsall
USA Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
49ers injury designations give disgruntled WR more leverage in contract talks
The San Francisco 49ers on Friday lost a little bit of leverage in Jauan Jennings contract talks when they placed two of their top wide receivers on the Physically Unable to Perform list. Ricky Pearsall and Brandon Aiyuk both went on the PUP list as they recover from injuries ahead of training camp. Aiyuk starting camp on PUP isn't a surprise. He tore his ACL and MCL, and took additional damage in his knee in Week 7 last season. It doesn't sound like the club is eager to rush him back, so a training camp return isn't likely. Pearsall landing on PUP changes the dynamic of the 49ers WR room and gives Jennings additional leverage as he seeks a contract extension with San Francisco. We've already explored the 49ers' shaky WR depth and how there's a strong chance Jennings could land in the WR1 role like he did last season when he led the team's WRs with a career-best 975 yards. A potential holdup for the 49ers in dishing out a more lucrative contract to the 2020 seventh-round pick is what his role looks like in the future. Paying him as a WR1 or WR2 isn't something they were banking on after giving Aiyuk a massive extension last offseason and drafting Pearsall in the first round of last year's draft. There were question marks about Pearsall's ability to stay healthy after he missed virtually all of last year's camp with hamstring and shoulder injuries. Those question marks resurfaced again in OTAs this year when Pearsall sat out because of a hamstring injury. Head coach Kyle Shanahan indicated during OTAs that Pearsall's absence was cautionary and that he'd be ready for training camp. That Pearsall is on PUP to start camp is a significant red flag for the second-year WR. It also puts the top of the 49ers WR depth chart into more flux. Jennings' claim to a new contract hinges on the stability he brings to a group clouded by uncertainty. He's been on the 49ers' active roster for four seasons and has played in 60 games. In 2023 he missed four total games, but outside of that he's never missed more than two in a season. It appears going into camp this year that Jennings will be the 49ers' WR1 by a significant margin. Even if Pearsall returns and has a strong preseason, his injury questions will linger and there's still no certainty around Aiyuk for this season and beyond. The 49ers may have been able to justify not extending Jennings if they could stand behind Pearsall as WR1 and Aiyuk as an eventual WR2 this season. That becomes much more difficult to do with Pearsall out to begin camp. There's a significant risk in potentially losing or rocking the boat with Jennings and sending the 49ers' WR corps into a tailspin that derails their offense into 2025. That dramatically outweighs the risk of financial complications with a new contract for Jennings. If the answer wasn't clear for San Francisco before, the PUP list designations should help. More 49ers: 49ers need huge year from their non-QB MVP if they're going to return to playoffs in 2025
Miami Herald
4 days ago
- Sport
- Miami Herald
49ers put WRs Brandon Aiyuk, Ricky Pearsall on PUP list
The San Francisco 49ers placed wide receivers Brandon Aiyuk and Ricky Pearsall on the active/physically unable to perform list on Friday. Aiyuk is still recovering from an ACL tear in his right knee that occurred against the Kansas City Chiefs on Oct. 20, 2024. He may not be ready when the regular season begins on Sept. 7 against the Seattle Seahawks. Pearsall (hamstring) missed most of the team's spring workouts due to his injury. Aiyuk, 27, had 25 receptions for 374 yards and no touchdowns over seven games last season after developing into a star over the previous two campaigns. Aiyuk caught a career-high 78 passes for 1,015 yards and a career-best eight touchdowns in 2022 and 75 balls for a career-high 1,342 yards in 2023. Pearsall, 24, caught 31 passes for 400 yards and three touchdowns last season as a rookie. He was shot in the chest during a robbery attempt in San Francisco on Sept. 4 and recovered to make his NFL debut in Week 7 against the Chiefs. San Francisco also placed four other players on the PUP list - offensive lineman Andre Dillard (ankle), defensive lineman Yetur Gross-Matos (knee), safety Malik Mustapha (knee) and linebacker Curtis Robinson (knee). The 49ers placed two players on the active/non-football injury list: Offensive lineman Ben Bartch and safety George Odum. Field Level Media 2025 - All Rights Reserved
Time of India
02-07-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
49ers Rookie Ricky Pearsall drawing Puka Nacua comparisons after miraculous comeback
Ricky Pearsall expected to shine as top target in 49ers offense (Image via: Getty Images) Ricky Pearsall is entering his second NFL season with high expectations. After being shot before his rookie year, the San Francisco 49ers wide receiver returned to finish strong with 210 yards and 2 touchdowns in his final two games. With Deebo Samuel traded and Brandon Aiyuk injured, Pearsall is set for a breakout in the 2025 NFL season. 49ers legend Brent Jones compares Pearsall to breakout star Puka Nacua Ricky Pearsall's road to the NFL was anything but ordinary. Shot before his rookie year, the first-round pick didn't just recover, he made a strong late-season impact. In the final two games of 2024, Pearsall totaled 14 receptions for 210 yards and two touchdowns, showcasing his route-running, athleticism, and chemistry with quarterback Brock Purdy. That late surge caught the attention of former 49ers tight end Brent Jones. Jones missed his own rookie season in 1986 after a head-on collision with a drunk driver. Later released by the Steelers, he rebuilt his career in San Francisco and became a three-time Super Bowl champion. Jones knows what it takes to overcome trauma and succeed at the highest level. He sees the same resilience in Pearsall. In a recent interview with Guy Haberman, Jones said, 'To actually see it click for him really kind of made it special at the end of the year. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Lokata dla świadomych inwestorów indywidualnych. LOKATA FACTO Czytaj dalej Undo I look for him to be a big contributor this year. What a special young man to fight back from all of that.' What makes Pearsall's situation even more interesting is the roster turnover in San Francisco. Deebo Samuel is now in Washington, and Brandon Aiyuk is expected to miss the start of the 2025 season. That leaves Pearsall with a clear path to a starting role and plenty of targets. Brent Jones went a step further in his praise, saying, 'Do not sleep on this guy. Maybe not the amount of catches, but I think he's gonna be Puka Nacua-like at some point.' Nacua was the breakout wide receiver of 2023, posting a rookie-record 105 receptions for 1,486 yards and six touchdowns with the Rams. While Pearsall may not hit those exact numbers, the opportunity is real and the trust from the coaching staff is growing. Also Read: Tyreek Hill wants another raise despite $90M deal—Dolphins, McDaniel reportedly considering trade The 49ers will be relying on their young receiver to make plays early in the season. If Pearsall continues on his current trajectory, he could emerge as one of the NFL's top breakout stars in 2025. Game On Season 1 continues with Mirabai Chanu's inspiring story. Watch Episode 2 here.
USA Today
02-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
49ers badly need last 21st-round picks to reverse troubling NFL draft trend
The San Francisco 49ers until recently had a strong track record in the NFL draft under head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch. While they've hit home runs with a handful of mid-round picks, they're still trying to find another first-round star. That caliber of player has for the most part eluded them in Round 1 since the Shanahan-Lynch duo took over in 2017. San Francisco badly needs 2024 first-round pick Ricky Pearsall and 2025 first-round pick Mykel Williams to reverse a troubling first-round trend. Since 2017 the 49ers have used nine first-round picks. Of the seven who would have reached extension eligibility, only two have received a second contract with the 49ers − defensive end Nick Bosa (2019) and wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (2020). That duo, unsurprisingly, is also the only pair of 49ers first-round picks to make an All-Pro team or Pro Bowl. They had the same number of first-rounders not even complete their rookie contract in San Francisco. By our deeply unscientific measure that relies largely on games played and vibes, only three of the 49ers' seven first-round choices between 2017 and 2021 can be considered "hits." That group includes Bosa, Aiyuk and offensive tackle Mike McGlinchey who left the 49ers in free agency to sign a five-year, $87.5 million contract with the Denver Broncos in 2023 − a deal too rich for San Francisco at the time. If the 49ers are going to rapidly ascend back to Super Bowl contention, they need Pearsall and Williams to at the very least join the ranks of "hits" in the first round. They're more likely to require at least one of them to ascend to an All-Pro caliber talent who is cost-controlled for at least a couple years while some of their other big contracts age out. Not that other players from the 2024 and 2025 draft classes can't step up and make an impact on the team's title hopes, but Pearsall and Williams both play positions where the 49ers need high-end performers. Pearsall is in a receiving corps where 2020 seventh-round pick Jauan Jennings is the No. 1 option while Aiyuk is working his way back from a knee injury. His availability is up in the air for the start of the 2025 campaign. Beyond that it's veteran Demarcus Robinson, second-year fourth-rounder Jacob Cowing and rookie fourth-rounder Jordan Watkins as the primary options entering training camp. Other players could step up, but the 49ers used a first-round pick on Pearsall for a reason. They believe in his ceiling and his ability to be a No. 1 or 2 option in their receiving corps. With Deebo Samuel's exit in an offseason trade with the Washington Commanders, the door sprung open for Pearsall to make his way into a top spot on the 49ers' depth chart. His climb could kickstart a 49ers passing attack that sputtered at times last year while it searched for reliable options on the perimeter. Williams can have a similar impact on the other side of the ball where the 49ers group of defensive ends lacks production and experience. The 49ers selected Williams partially for his ability to set the edge and stop the run, but they need him to produce as a pass rusher, too. He posted only 14 sacks in 40 games at the University of Georgia. His career high of 5.0 came last season. San Francisco is hoping Williams can become an impact player opposite Bosa right away while offering pass rush help on the interior when DE Bryce Huff checks in on passing downs. There's even more pressure on Williams than Pearsall in 2025. While the 49ers have a handful of additional options in the receiving corps and Aiyuk theoretically returning sometime during the season, they don't have that same luxury at defensive end. They chose Williams at No. 11 overall with the expectation he'd become their starting DE right away. Huff and Yetur Gross-Matos are best as rotational edge defenders. Beyond that the pickings are slim for the 49ers on the edge. If Williams struggles it's hard to envision a significantly improved San Francisco pass rush this year. While relying on leaps from rookies and young players isn't ideal, it's part of the life cycle of NFL team-building. The 49ers' 2022 and 2023 draft classes haven't borne much fruit. The influx of high-end young talent will need to come from the 2024 and 2025 classes if San Francisco wants to remain competitive. There were 19 players in those classes, so there are plenty of opportunities for stars to emerge, but the 49ers will need their first-rounders to buck the trend of failed Round 1 picks by developing and hitting the ceilings that made them Day 1 NFL draft selections. More 49ers: 1 49ers offensive player who could be playing for huge raise
USA Today
26-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
49ers WR explains what will change for him after Deebo Samuel was traded
The San Francisco 49ers made some changes to their wide receiver room this offseason, sending Deebo Samuel to the Washington Commanders for a fifth-round pick, signing Demarcus Robinson, drafting Jordan Watkins and Junior Bergen and losing Chris Conley to retirement. On top of that movement, San Francisco may be without star wideout Brandon Aiyuk to start the season after he tore his ACL, MCL and meniscus in a 28-18 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 7 last year. With that, someone will need to step up early in the 2025 season, and that could be second-year wide receiver Ricky Pearsall, who is preparing like he's already the top guy on San Francisco's depth chart. "My mindset has not changed at all. I'm going to attack it the exact same way I always have," Pearsall said on a recent episode of "49ers Talk" with NBC Sports Bay Area's Matt Maiocco. "No matter what place I'm at, no matter what the coach tells me, I still have that wide receiver 1 mindset. That's just how I was raised. I've always been a hard worker. My parents raised me that way, and I've always had that same mindset no matter what position you're in. That's just how I attack my life in general. "What makes our room really cool is that everyone has that mindset. [There's] very healthy competition in there and it makes everybody better. I'm excited to see what our receiver room can do this year because I'm still very confident in that." The 49ers took the 24-year-old in the first round (No. 31 overall) of the 2024 NFL draft out of Florida, and after he missed the start of his rookie year due to taking a gunshot to the chest, Pearsall finished with 31 receptions for 400 yards and three touchdowns in 11 games. This year, Pearsall has plenty of challengers for that top spot in the wide receiver room, including Robinson, Watkins and Jauan Jennings. However, the former Gator should have the highest ceiling of the trio. More 49ers: 49ers WR laughs at offseason trade talks as he recovers from season-ending injury
