The San Francisco 49ers are nearing their first preseason game, as they’ll take on the Denver Broncos on Saturday at Levi’s Stadium to kick off the next phase of the offseason.
It’s been a different year at training camp, as younger faces have gotten more opportunity, be it due to injury or the roster outlook of a certain position group. That has led to more competition all around.
One group filled with young talent is the wide receiver position, where there seems to be a wide-open race for playing time, especially with top wideout Jauan Jennings currently nursing a calf injury.
With Jennings’s absence, there has been a clear standout stepping up: 2024 first-round pick Ricky Pearsall.
Pearsall, who missed part of the offseason with a hamstring injury, has returned during the second part of training camp, and has quickly made his presence known. Reports have indicated that he’s been one of the best players on the field, continuing to develop a rapport with quarterback Brock Purdy as he takes over the vacant WR1 role.
What has he shown the coaching staff this offseason?
“I thought Ricky had one of our best offseasons,” Shanahan said on KNBR Wednesday. “Him and Jake Cowing started about a month earlier than everyone else. They were here grinding with Dustin Perry, our strength coach, and they really made a huge jump, I thought, this offseason. Jake was able to show it throughout OTAs, and Ricky wasn’t. He ended up pulling his hamstring right before OTAs, and he’s kind of gotten a late start to camp.
“But these last five practices, he’s been out there, he’s been able to stack some days up, and it’s really showing, the work that he put in this offseason, adding some strength, adding a little bit more size, and just making himself a little bit more ready for a 17-game season, which is always such a grind for these guys.”
Despite dealing with a variety of circumstances last offseason, Pearsall still got to go through the motions of a full NFL campaign, which Shanahan believes has prepped him well for Year 2.
“But he went through it last year,” Shanahan continued. “He knows how long [the season] is, he knows what to expect, and I think he’s prepared himself right, and he’s having a hell of a camp so far.”
Pearsall’s rookie season featured its share of ups and downs, as the 49ers wideout had a slow start due to injuries before putting up 70 yards from scrimmage in two of his first three career games. Then, after a spell where he had just 57 receiving yards across six games, the first-round pick finished strong with 14 catches, 210 yards, and two touchdowns over the final two weeks of the year.
Now, with the receiver room in disarray, the second-year pro is taking advantage and cementing his status as a top wideout on the team.
“There’s a number of spots up [at wide receiver],” Shanahan said. “Ricky missed the first week. Jake Cowing, he pulled his hamstring in individual drills on the first day. Hopefully, we’ll get him back next week. You have B.A. (Brandon Aiyuk), who’s still on PUP, so he does count on your roster, but he’s not able to go. You have Jauan [Jennings], who’s battling an injury, so there’s been a lot of room for guys to get a lot of reps.
“There’s guys running with the ones at times right now that, on the first day of camp, they were running with the threes, and that’s a huge opportunity for those guys because you never know how it’s going to end up. You never know when guys are going to be healthy when they’re not, and the roster is open for a lot of dudes.”
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