49ers counting on Pearsall after slew of wide receiver injuries

49ers counting on Pearsall after slew of wide receiver injuries originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

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SANTA CLARA — The first pass Brock Purdy threw Ricky Pearsall’s way whizzed past his ear as the 49ers’ rookie receiver was turning to look for his quarterback.

“It was just a communication error,” Pearsall said on Wednesday, three days after he made his NFL debut against the Kansas City Chiefs.

“Obviously, we haven’t had many reps at that together, being out. I was a few yards too deep. I can cut that a little shorter, and the ball would’ve been right on my chest.”

Pearsall is trying to make up for a lot of lost time on the practice field, as he and Purdy work on building chemistry.

The 49ers planned for Pearsall to be eased back into the action — just 50 days after he sustained a gunshot wound to his right chest.

But Pearsall ended up playing 48 snaps (76 percent of the team’s offensive plays) with the team’s top three wide receivers out of action.

“He did a good job adjusting in the game,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said. “He went into the game playing only one spot and a couple injuries happened. You got to be prepared for next man up, and he didn’t have any busts at the new position.”

Pearsall has not practiced much since the team reported to training camp in late July. He missed the first four days of practices with a hamstring injury. Then, he was out for 19 days with a left shoulder subluxation.

Pearsall was the victim of a shooting on Aug. 31, and he finally was designated for return off the non-football injury list on Oct. 14.

The 49ers invested a first-round draft pick in Pearsall, and they will need him more than they ever could have imagined this early in his NFL career.

Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk was placed on season-ending…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/49ers-counting-pearsall-slew-wide-215324553.html

Author : NBC Sports BayArea

Publish date : 2024-10-23 21:53:24

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