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After surviving a gunshot wound to the chest, San Francisco 49ers rookie wide receiver Ricky Pearsall deserves some good news. Well, he got that positive update and Niners' general manager John Lynch announced he expects Pearsall to return to play this year. He reacted to that news by saying the first-round pick's quick return is “nothing short of miraculous.” The rookie was able to leave the hospital after one night and did not require surgery.
This comes after the news that Pearsall has already returned to the 49ers' weight room, according to KNBR's Tim Ryan.
Ricky Pearsall is back at the 49ers facility and in the weight room…
Tim Ryan on Ricky Pearsall and his promising condition:
"I talked to him yesterday, he was actually in the weight room. Thank God it's not worse than it was… I already know this, his street cred has gone up… pic.twitter.com/S1I7HXjro1
— Coach Yac 🗣 (@Coach_Yac) September 3, 2024
Pearsall will begin the season on the reserve/non-football injury list. This means the earliest he could see the field and run plays for Kyle Shanahan is in a Week 5 home contest against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, October 6 at 4:05 p.m. EST.
Ricky Pearsall's 2024 role in Kyle Shanahan's 49ers offense
The beauty of the 49ers is they don't necessarily need Pearsall to have a monster season right away. With Christian McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk and George Kittle in tow, the former Florida Gators standout can marinade on the sidelines, keep his head buried in his playbook and develop on his own time.
Sure, if he's the next Jerry Rice or Terrell Owens, that'd be great. But the 49ers also have Jauan Jennings and Chris Conley, two NFL veterans, who are surely taking the youngster under the wings.
Beginning the season as the team's No. 5 WR after missing most of training camp with shoulder issues may delay Pearsall's blossoming as a pro. We may need to wait until the last few weeks of the season or even the playoffs before Pearsall is caught up.
What's even more incredible is the 49ers are over $50M under the 2024 salary cap. Because Brock Purdy only accounts for a $1 million salary (0.39% of the cap), John Lynch is allowed luxuries like signing Aiyuk to a monster contract extension or restructuring Trent Williams' contract.
How are the #49ers affording to get all these contracts done?
Believe it or not, they entered today with an NFL-high $50 million in 2024 cap space, thanks largely to a league-high rollover of unused cap from 2023.
The beauty of having a top QB making under $1 million.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) September 3, 2024
Speaking of luxuries, the team recently partied with Rick Ross at Shanahan's home at their yearly romp before the season.
“Photos on social media show the team in flapper-style dress on Saturday night. NBC Sports Bay Area journalist Matt Maiocco reported the party was the Niners’ ‘traditional party to celebrate the 53-man roster and the end of training camp,'” Dowd said. “It was held at head coach Kyle Shanahan’s home, he said. Along with teammates and their significant others, the party was attended by rapper Rick Ross, who posted both videos and photos on his Instagram stories.”
The 49ers begin the regular season on Monday Night Football against the New York Jets on Monday, September 9 at 8:15 p.m. EST.
