The San Francisco 49ers made sure to sign an elite wide receiver in free agency when they stole future Pro Football Hall of Famer Mike Evans away from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on a 3-year, $42.5 million contract.
That could end up being what saves their season after massive misses at the position on wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk and now, what seems like a miss on 2024 1st-round pick and wide receiver Ricky Pearsall.
The latest news about Pearsall seems to speak to a player who can never get healthy.
“49ers WR Ricky Pearsall is dealing with knee swelling related to the PCL injury he suffered last year,” ESPN’s Nick Wagoner wrote on his official X account on Wednesday. “Team says ‘all options’ are being explored and there is some ‘concern.’ ”
Injuries have forced Pearsall to miss 14 regular-season games over his 1st 2 seasons.
“PCL sprains are notorious for lingering,” Dr. Jesse Morse wrote on his official X account on Wednesday. “Just ask Dalton Kincaid. BAD news for Ricky Pearsall. I don’t believe Pearsall will be 100% recovered from this PCL at any point this season. He should have had this injected with stem cells (often multiple times) in the offseason. It’s too late now.”
Pearsall has just 67 receptions for 928 yards and 3 touchdowns over his 1st 2 seasons.
“49ers WR Ricky Pearsall is dealing with knee swelling, and the team has some concerns,” The 33rd Team’s Ari Meirov wrote on his official X account on Wednesday. “All options are on the table, with the belief that it stems from the PCL injury he previously dealt with.”
Ricky Pearsall on Path to Becoming 1st-Round Bust
Bleacher Report’s Moe Moton thinks that Pearsall’s struggles will only continue in 2026, predicting he will end up 1 of the NFL’s “Biggest Busts” in his 3rd NFL season.
The latest injury news only seems to underscore that idea.
“Following the 2026 season, the San Francisco 49ers must decide on the fifth-year option in Ricky Pearsall’s contract,” Moton wrote on July 10. “At this point, they would probably decline it because of his modest production and spotty availability last season. In 2025, Pearsall caught 36 passes for 528 scoreless yards. Even without Brandon Aiyuk for an entire season, the 2024 first-rounder didn’t take full advantage of increased opportunities in the aerial attack, partially due to injuries. In his age-33 term, Evans can still command a significant target share. Kirk can see notable playing time as an inside-outside receiver … head coach Kyle Shanahan values Stribling’s blocking ability. As a former first-round pick, Pearsall may be underwhelming again this year.”
Flip Side: Ricky Pearsall Could Become Elite NFL WR
Even though he played in 11 games and finished with 31 receptions for 400 yards and 3 touchdowns as a rookie, there was little to be gleaned from his play coming off a serious injury — he suffered a gunshot wound before the season.
In 2025, the 49ers got to see the real Pearsall. And it wasn’t pretty. He started the season on the PUP list and ended up missing 8 games due to hamstring and PCL injuries while putting up 36 receptions for 528 yards and didn’t score a touchdown.
NFL.com’s Nick Shook went the other way from Moton. He put the former Arizona State and Florida star on his list of “potential risers” who could have breakout seasons in 2026.
“Pearsall’s career has known nothing but unexpected interruptions, Shook wrote. ” … San Francisco’s receiving corps certainly could have used more help in 2025 and the club acted accordingly in 2026, luring Mike Evans away from Tampa, signing Christian Kirk and spending the first pick of the second round on De’Zhaun Stribling. Consequently, Pearsall will operate in a deeper receiver room that won’t allow opposing defenses to key on him, setting up the 25-year-old for a breakout season — provided he can stay on the field.”
49ers Have Growing Injury ‘Concern’ Over Former 1st Round Pick: Report