Overview
- General manager John Lynch announced Saturday that Ricky Pearsall will be placed on season‑ending injured reserve and will have surgery to repair a posterior cruciate ligament with a projected six‑to‑12‑month recovery.
- The decision followed swelling in Pearsall’s knee during training camp and a fresh round of medical evaluations in which team and independent doctors concluded surgery was the best long‑term option.
- The 49ers used the roster spot opened by Pearsall’s IR designation to finalize a one‑year return for Deebo Samuel in a deal reported to be worth up to $7 million, and team officials say talks with Samuel began before Pearsall’s shutdown.
- San Francisco will redistribute snaps among veterans Mike Evans and Christian Kirk and rookie De’Zhaun Stribling while monitoring depth and roster economics that could affect Pearsall’s long‑term contract outlook.
- Pearsall, a 2024 first‑round pick whose early career has been repeatedly interrupted, missed a large share of games through his first three seasons and will now focus on rehabilitation to be ready for the 2027 training camp.