On August 1, the San Francisco 49ers announced that Ricky Pearsall’s 2026 NFL season is over before it even began. The Niners put Pearsall on season-ending injured reserve as the wide receiver continues to deal with a posterior cruciate ligament injury in his right knee.
Moreover, on July 30, the 49ers decided to welcome back a familiar face, Deebo Samuel, as he’ll replace Pearsall. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported, citing sources, that the 49ers and Samuel reached an agreement on a one-year deal that could be worth up to $7 million.
With Pearsall now needing to focus on getting healthy for the 2027 NFL season, Samuel issued a message to his teammate amid this challenging moment.
“The night whenever he got the news, he was a little frustrated, and I was like, ‘Bro, just keep your head up, man. Your time’s coming,’” Samuel told reporters on Aug. 1. “It’s just that he kind of had bad luck right now. There’s really nothing he can do about it. But overall, he’s shown what he’s capable of when he’s healthy, and I’m wishing him well with surgery and a quick recovery, for sure.”
Now, Samuel will need to replace the production the Niners were likely hoping to get from Pearsall this 2026 season. Last season with the Washington Commanders, Samuel played 713 total snaps, leading to a 69.4 overall PFF grade.
Furthermore, the veteran wideout hauled in 72 receptions on 99 targets for 727 receiving yards and five touchdowns while averaging 10.1 yards per reception and generating 471 yards after the catch.
49ers’ Dre Greenlaw Issues Strong Message to Ricky Pearsall
Samuel isn’t the only 49ers player issuing a strong message to Pearsall; Dre Greenlaw, who is also back with the Niners after a season with the Denver Broncos, spoke about the wideout’s injury and offered words of encouragement.
“I definitely talked to Ricky plenty of times since everything came out about the knee and stuff like that,” Greenlaw told reporters on Aug. 1. “I just let him know, ‘Bro, you’ve got a lot of talent. You can play ball, you can run, and you can run routes.
“Ricky is that guy.’ It’s just going to take Ricky some time. He’s got to give himself time to heal, take care of his body, and do what’s best for himself. Ricky is going to play in this league for a long time. I know it sucks not being able to get going.”
Adam Schefter Gives Details on Deebo Samuel Signing
With the injury to Pearsall, the Niners will be leaning on Samuel right out of the gate. Nonetheless, ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter shared details of how the Samuel signing came to be.
“Deebo had been talking to the 49ers all along, and the 49ers had told him they were interested in bringing him back to San Francisco for weeks,“ Schefter said on the July 31 edition of “The Pat McAfee Show.” “There were actual conversations between Kyle Shanahan and Deebo Samuel.
“I think Deebo was obviously looking to see what kind of deal he could land on the open market, and when those deals he was looking for didn’t materialize, conversations with San Francisco continued… The 49ers have been talking to Deebo; no other meaningful offers had materialized, and in the end, we’ve seen what San Francisco can do with Deebo and how the 49ers utilize him.”
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