The San Francisco 49ers are gearing up for another run at a Super Bowl. There is talent up and down the roster, and Brock Purdy is slowly nearing a payday. The conference is wide open, and the 49ers will likely be the betting favorite. This team has many questions, especially regarding the wide receiver position. They took Florida wide receiver Ricky Pearsall with their first-round pick and today officially signed him to a contract.
San Francisco 49ers Sign Ricky Pearsall
Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area reports the contract is for four years and $12.5 million. It is a fully guaranteed contract for the former Gator. The San Francisco 49ers are excited about what Ricky Pearsall can bring to an already loaded offense. While he isn’t a precise route runner, he does extremely well attacking downfield. Bleacher Report’s Derrik Klassen had this to say in his scouting report of Pearsall.
“Pearsall’s best routes all attack down the field. He does not have the speed control or flexibility to thrive on curls, digs, comebacks and other sharp routes, but he can manipulate DBs in space and attack with an explosive crossover step. That shows up best when Pearsall can run posts and deep over routes, allowing him to attack the DB vertically and to one shoulder before snapping back across their face.”
He should have plenty of room to work within the offense. While other teams will have to focus on players like Christian McCaffrey and Deebo Samuel, Ricky Pearsall can run free and possibly get one-on-one matchups. Kyle Shanahan is a genius at drawing up plays that highlight the strengths of players. There is a reason the San Francisco 49ers picked him in the first round.
Replacing Aiyuk?
The elephant in the room for the San Francisco 49ers is the Brandon Aiyuk situation. Many thought he would be traded on draft night, but nothing ever materialized. Rumors are swirling about what they will do with their star receiver, but many believe Ricky Pearsall is a replacement for Aiyuk. Paying Aiyuk a massive contract will hinder what the team can do in the long run. It seems they would rather get value back for him and go with a cheaper option but have been unable to find a suitor.
Many San Francisco 49ers fans hope Ricky Pearsall can become a replacement for whomever they decide to move. Even if they end up keeping all their players, Pearsall still can have a huge role in the offense. Shanahan loves to spread the ball around, and if Pearsall picks up the offense well, he could see playing time. The 49ers also tend to deal with injuries throughout the year, so he can be insurance if Samuel deals with his usual midseason nagging injuries.
Time is running out for the San Francisco 49ers. The advantage of a rookie quarterback contract only lasts so long. If they cannot reach the summit this year, fans will look back on these years as a huge missed opportunity.
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