SANTA CLARA — Like Christian McCaffery and Brock Purdy earlier than him, Ricky Pearsall Jr. will play his first sport with the 49ers Sunday in opposition to the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs.
Precisely how a lot Pearsall performs and his position shall be decided by coach Kyle Shanahan, who noticed what he wanted to see after simply three days of follow to find out the rookie first-round draft decide was able to face the two-time defending Tremendous Bowl champions at Levi’s Stadium.
Pearsall was formally elevated from the non-football harm checklist Saturday to the 53-man roster. Place kicker Matthew Wright (shoulder) was positioned on injured reserve, with kicker Anders Carlson and security Jaylen Mahoney promoted as weekly normal follow squad elevations.
Throwing Pearsall into the combination this quick is a leap of religion, though much less of a leap than what he’s already survived.
Nicely earlier than Pearsall was shot in a theft try on Aug. 31 at Union Sq., he was coping with a shoulder subluxation, which quantities to a partial separation. His time in coaching camp was restricted.
“Ricky’s been studying, he’s been getting a ton of stuff,” Shanahan mentioned Friday. “I know he’ll get better as the year goes so we understand that with our expectations. Missing all the practice, missing some time, makes it harder schematically and getting out of the huddle. But he’s working his butt off to catch up. He’s gotten better each day. I know he’ll get better each week.”
McCaffery and Purdy can relate.
When the 49ers host the Chiefs, it would mark the two-year anniversary of the day McCaffery was acquired by commerce from the Carolina Panthers. He arrived on a Friday, and managed to be taught sufficient performs to see time for the 49ers’ Week 7 sport in opposition to the Chiefs at Levi’s Stadium.
Brock Purdy (13) of the 49ers eludes Kansas Metropolis’s Deon Bush (26) in his professional debut at Levi’s Stadium on Oct. 23, 2022. Shae Hammond/Bay Space Information Group
McCaffrey carried eight occasions for 38 yards and caught two passes for twenty-four extra in a 44-23 loss to the Chiefs. Within the 49ers’ final possession of that sport, Purdy, a rookie seventh-round select of Iowa State, was inserted rather than Jimmy Garoppolo for his first taking part in time in an NFL sport.
Purdy drove the 49ers deep into Chiefs territory and was 4 of 9 for 66 yards earlier than throwing a move into the top zone meant for Jauan Jennings that was intercepted by Juan Thornhill.
Now 33 begins into his skilled profession together with playoff video games, Purdy seems again on that day with some amusement.
“My mind was going pretty fast,” Purdy mentioned. “So to see how I was feeling and everything in that moment a couple of years ago, all the way until now, it’s pretty funny.”
With Pearsall getting in need of breath out of pleasure after Monday’s low-key walkthrough follow, his feelings with household and associates current for his debut shall be within the stratosphere.
Pearsall’s conversations with the media have been strictly casual, and the plan is for him to talk on the document for the primary time after he performs in a sport.
Jennings, the 49ers main large receiver with 25 receptions for 404 yards and three touchdowns, is out with a hip harm. He’s the one large out with a purple zone landing, a 4-yard flip from Purdy in opposition to the Rams. The starters are Deebo Samuel (20 receptions, 335 yards, one landing) and Brandon Aiyuk (23 receptions, 351 yards zero touchdowns).
Jennings’ manufacturing has come largely as a 3rd receiver, a job Pearsall may play in opposition to the Chiefs. Jennings has averaged 40 snaps per sport, and it stays to be seen whether or not Shanahan will play his rookie that a lot.
“We’ll see how it unfolds,” Shanahan mentioned.
When the 49ers and Chiefs met in Tremendous Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas, Jennings was a possible MVP till Patrick Mahomes labored his magic, throwing a 21-yard landing move to McCaffery and catching a 10-yard landing move from Purdy.
Aiyuk was focused six occasions by Purdy within the Tremendous Bowl and caught three passes for 49 yards. Samuel was focused 11 occasions, caught three passes for 33 yards and carried 3 times for eight yards.
The hope is Pearsall might be of some assist both now or later as one other potential purple zone goal with McCaffery remaining out indefinitely whereas recovering from Achilles tendonitis in each ankles. Up to now it’s been largely tight finish George Kittle when it comes to manufacturing with all 5 of his touchdowns approaching performs contained in the 20-yard line.
Pearsall has been fielding punt returns in follow and Shanahan didn’t rule out utilizing him in that specialty. Provided that he had simply 15 punt returns for 153 yards in 5 years at Arizona State and Florida, that appears unlikely.
That may make Jacob Cowing an lively receiver to go together with Samuel, Aiyuk and Pearsall, with Chris Conley and Ronnie Bell additionally out there as a fifth receiver and particular groups participant.
As follow progresses through the week, gamers know with out asking whether or not they’ve received a job or not, and that was apparently the case with Pearsall.
“I wish I could give you a better story,” Shanahan mentioned. “We kept repping him and when you’re repping guys like that, I think he understood he was going to be up. There was no magical moment.”
The 49ers are hoping for one thing alongside these traces on Sunday.
