ClutchPoints
Few teams have been more active than the San Francisco 49ers in the 2025 offseason, leading to an interesting state entering OTAs. Following the 49ers’ roster shakeups, many players have a lot to prove in the offseason, but perhaps none more than second-year wideout Ricky Pearsall.
Since losing to the Arizona Cardinals in their 2024 season finale, the 49ers have been among the busiest teams in the league. San Francisco kickstarted the process by trading Deebo Samuel to the Washington Commanders before purging its roster of veterans. General manager John Lynch released Leonard Floyd, Javon Hargrave, Maliek Collins, Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles and Mitch Wishnowsky.
Instead of attacking the free agency market, the 49ers used their additional cap space on their current roster. After lengthy negotiation periods, San Francisco gave George Kittle and Brock Purdy the lucrative extensions they coveted.
The 49ers’ wild offseason adventures suggest their commitment to the current roster, even coming off a disappointing 2024 campaign. More specifically, their decision to trade Samuel signals their faith in Pearsall as a full-time starter. The 2024 first-round pick had an up-and-down rookie season, to say the least, but the pressure is now on him to perform in his second year.
It was certainly not his fault, but Pearsall’s career did not start well. The rookie was shot in the chest at point-blank range during an attempted robbery roughly one week before the 49ers’ 2024 season opener. He was able to walk to the ambulance under his own power and was released from the hospital the next day.
Pearsall miraculously managed to return to the field less than two months after narrowly escaping death. However, his return came with a slow start, as the Florida alum was understandably operating at less than 100 percent. Pearsall topped 50 receiving yards in just one of his first nine games before breaking out with 141 receiving yards against the Detroit Lions in Week 17. He ended the season with 31 catches for 400 yards and three touchdowns.
The shooting that predated it largely overshadowed Pearsall’s inaugural outing, but his on-field performances were inconsistent at best. Yet, how he ended the regular season could not have been much better than the 49ers hoped. It is never fair to judge a player on a season impaired by a traumatic, near-death event, much less a rookie with big shoes to fill on a disappointing team.
With Brandon Aiyuk returning and Jauan Jennings coming off an unexpected breakthrough season, the 49ers do not need Pearsall to be a superstar in 2025. But with Samuel out of the picture, Kyle Shanahan clearly sees him as a significant part of the team’s future. Nobody has more to prove in 2025 than Ricky Pearsall, who should be fully healthy and tasked with partially filling the void Samuel left behind.
The 2025 season is not an all-or-nothing deal for Pearsall, but there is a lot on...
