The San Francisco 49ers are hoping for better health in the 2025 campaign after getting decimated by the injury bug last season. Ahead of training camp, a handful of players were placed on the Physically Unable to Perform list, with one of them being second-year wide receiver Ricky Pearsall, which surprised quite a few fans.
Over the offseason, Pearsall has been working his way back from a hamstring injury, so seeing him land on the PUP list was understandably concerning. However, one team insider offered an encouraging update on Pearsall’s status that will surely ease fans’ worries as training camp draws near.
Ricky Pearsall Did Not Suffer Injury Setback for 49ers
San Francisco selected Pearsall with the No. 31 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, with hopes that he could immediately become another playmaker for them on offense. Those plans were put on hold when Pearsall was shot in the chest during a robbery attempt last August, resulting in him not making his NFL debut until Week 7 against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Despite missing six games, Pearsall made an impact as a rookie last year, catching 31 passes for 400 yards and three touchdowns, showcasing his immense potential several times along the way. After the team traded Deebo Samuel to the Washington Commanders over the offseason, it’s clear the team is hoping Pearsall can take a step forward in his sophomore season.
However, his preparation plan for the 2025 campaign has hit a speed bump, as the team surprisingly placed him on the PUP list on Friday night. Despite that, 49ers insider Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area believes that, unless Pearsall suffered some sort of unknown setback, he should be on the field for San Francisco at some point later this week.
“Unless there’s been some bad setback [that nobody knows about], based on what we were told in June, Ricky Pearsall should be ready to rock and roll when the 49ers get on the practice field for the first time on Wednesday,” Maiocco said in a video shared on his YouTube page.
49ers Hoping Ricky Pearsall Doesn’t Have a Long Stay on PUP List
GettyRicky Pearsall catches passes in warm ups before a December Monday Night Football showdown against the Detroit Lions
In addition to Pearsall, the Niners also placed fellow wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk on the PUP list to begin training camp, as he continues to recover from a torn ACL and MCL that he suffered last season. That leaves Jauan Jennings leading the wide receiver room for the time being, but even his status is up in the air after he requested a trade if San Fran’s front office is unwilling to hand him a new contract extension.
Quarterback Brock Purdy may not have many guys to throw to when training camp opens, but the hope is that Pearsall’s stay on the PUP list isn’t a lengthy one. If all goes according to plan, it looks like he won’t miss much time, but given the 49ers’ somewhat cryptic handling of the situation, it will be worth keeping tabs on his status over the next few days.
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