Ricky Pearsall Sidelined With Knee Injury: 49ers Update and Return Timeline

San Francisco 49ers receiver Ricky Pearsall is sidelined with swelling in his right knee, according to team officials on July 30, 2026. The injury is related to a posterior cruciate ligament issue that caused Pearsall to miss eight games during the 2025 regular season, and the team has not established a timeline for his return.

The 49ers expressed concern regarding Pearsall’s health after he participated in only two practices during training camp, according to reporting from The Associated Press. Team officials stated they are currently evaluating all options to manage the injury.

Pearsall’s absence is part of a broader string of early training camp injuries for the San Francisco roster. Running back Jordan James is out with broken ribs sustained on July 28, and safety Malik Mustapha is sidelined with a hamstring strain, according to The Associated Press.

Other players currently on the injury list include:

• Receiver Christian Kirk (calf strain)
• Swing tackle Vederian Lowe (high ankle sprain)
• Rookie defensive lineman Gracen Halton (bruised knee bone)

The injury to Pearsall is considered the most significant of the group because the team intended for him to play a major role in the passing game this season, according to The Associated Press.

Pearsall has struggled to maintain availability since being selected in the first round of the 2024 draft. As a rookie, he missed the majority of training camp due to a shoulder injury and was subsequently shot during a robbery attempt shortly before the start of the season, according to team records reported by The Associated Press.

Despite those setbacks, Pearsall recorded 31 catches for 400 yards and three touchdowns in 11 games during his rookie campaign. His 2025 season began with a hamstring injury in the early summer, but he recorded 20 catches for 327 yards in his first four games before suffering the knee injury in Week 4.

Pearsall missed six games following that Week 4 injury. Upon returning, he recorded five catches for 20 yards across three games before posting six catches for 96 yards against Tennessee. He subsequently re-aggravated the knee injury, missing two of the final three regular-season games and the playoff opener. He remained a non-factor during the divisional round loss to Seattle, according to The Associated Press.

Over two seasons, Pearsall has accumulated 67 catches for 928 yards and three touchdowns in 20 games.

Pearsall’s current status creates an opening for other receivers competing for a starting role alongside Mike Evans. Rookie De’Zhaun Stribling performed well in practice on July 30, while veteran Demarcus Robinson recorded several catches during 11-on-11 drills, according to The Associated Press.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan observed the final 50 minutes of Wednesday’s practice while recovering from a recent car crash.

Offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak addressed the competition within the receiving corps before practice.

“It’s going to be fun to watch that room kind of become what it does over this next however many weeks of training camp. It’s one of the positions where we have a lot of competition and I’m excited to see where it goes.”

Klay Kubiak

In addition to the injury updates, the 49ers made several roster moves on July 30. The team waived defensive ends William Bradley-King and Andrew Farmer while signing defensive ends Quinton Bell and K.J. Henry, according to The Associated Press.