Just as the San Francisco 49ers look to reload their offense, a familiar dark cloud has settled over Santa Clara. Ricky Pearsall’s ongoing knee recovery has hit a major wall, placing the wide receiver’s availability for the 2026 season in serious jeopardy.
On Wednesday, reports surfaced that Pearsall is still dealing with knee swelling connected to the PCL injury he suffered last season. Limited to just nine games a year ago, staying healthy remains an ongoing battle for the young wideout.
The 49ers are reportedly exploring all options and that there is some concern around the injury and worry that Pearsall could miss the entire season, per NBC Sports Bay Area.
Ever since San Francisco drafted him in the first round in 2024, Pearsall has battled a steady stream of injuries. As a result, the Florida product has been healthy enough to suit up for just 18 career games.
When available, Pearsall has proven to be one of the offense’s most explosive targets. His biggest challenge, however, hasn’t been production, but more about being able to find a way to stay on the field for head coach Kyle Shanahan and the rest of the offense.
In 18 games, Pearsall posted 67 catches for 928 yards with 13.8 yards per reception and three touchdowns. He saved his best outing for Arizona, tearing up the Cardinals’ defense with an eight-catch, 111-yard performance.
With Pearsall’s availability uncertain, the 49ers’ injuries continue to force a major overhaul. To rebuild the room, they added veterans Mike Evans and Christian Kirk in free agency before taking Ole Miss receiver De’Zhaun Stribling with the No. 33 overall pick in this year’s draft.
Injury bugs aside, time waits for no one. Training camp is in full swing, and the 49ers have only a brief window to turn lingering questions into answers before the division-rival Rams come calling in Week 1.
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