The San Francisco 49ers are already dealing with a slew of injuries at training camp this summer.
On Wednesday, the team expressed concern with wide receiver Ricky Pearsall, who is dealing with knee swelling related to the PCL injury he sustained in Week 4 of last season.
Pearsall is out of practice for the foreseeable future. This marks the second 49ers wide receiver who is sidelined as Christian Kirk suffered a calf injury over the weekend.
All “options” for the lingering effects of Pearsall’s injury are being explored, with the 49ers expressing “concern,” per ESPN’s Nick Wagoner. This could mean the team is weighing a potential surgery for the wide receiver.
If that is the case, that would be a huge loss for the 49ers and Pearsall. The 25-year-old has dealt with several injuries since he was drafted by the team in 2024.
Pearsall was limited to nine games in 2025, a season where he dealt with a PCL injury as well as a hamstring injury. The wideout recorded 538 yards on 36 receptions with no touchdowns.
As Pearsall enters his third year in the NFL, he faces immense pressure to perform at a high level. The 49ers selected him with the No. 31 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft out of Florida. He was a two-year starter with the Gators after transferring from Arizona State his junior year.
Being such a high draft pick comes with expectations and it’s not a stretch to say Pearsall has yet to meet or surpass those expectations. There was already speculation surrounding Pearsall’s right knee entering training camp after he posted a video of himself working out with a brace.
Pearsall has appeared in only 20 games through his first two NFL seasons. He has yet to eclipse 1,000 yards in his career as he’s posted 928 total yards on 67 receptions and three touchdowns.
The story of Pearsall’s career has been injuries.
During his first training camp with the 49ers, Pearsall participated in only six of 19 practices because of a shoulder injury.
Ahead of his rookie season, Pearsall was shot in the chest by a 17-year-old gunman who tried to rob him in San Francisco’s Union Square. The teen attempted to steal Pearsall’s luxury watch and the 49ers wide receiver was shot amid the struggle.
Pearsall made a full recovery and made his 49ers debut against the Kansas City Chiefs in October 2024, only 50 days after being shot.
Last season, Pearsall notably missed more than half the season as the 49ers endured another campaign marred by injuries.
The latest update doesn’t bode well for a squad that has dealt with myriad injuries in recent years. The wide receiver room has already lost Pearsall and Kirk, so the team could turn its attention to rookie standout De’Zhaun Stribling.
Quarterback Brock Purdy praised Stribling’s early success in training camp and the Ole Miss product could provide an unexpected spark to the 49ers offense in 2026.
Pearsall’s setback could propel the 49ers to look for reinforcements on the free agent market, including a reunion with Deebo Samuel.
Samuel has remained a free agent the entire offseason and could join the team he spent the first six seasons of his career with.
Whether a Samuel reunion happens in the Bay Area, it’s evident the 49ers may have a draft bust on their hands if Pearsall continues to show the team he can’t be relied on.
