SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Kyle Shanahan did not initially intend for rookie wideout Ricky Pearsall to make his NFL debut Sunday towards the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs. However after every week of observe, that is precisely what is going to occur.
The Niners activated Pearsall from the non-football damage listing to the lively 53-man roster Saturday. That implies that simply 50 days after he was shot in the proper facet of his chest, Pearsall is in line to play his first regular-season snaps towards the Chiefs.
“Practising all week, it has been nice to see him on the market,” Shanahan mentioned Friday. “He is had a hell of every week, and we’re pumped to get him on the market.”
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Fellow vast receiver Jauan Jennings was dominated out Friday with a hip damage, whereas operating again Jordan Mason (left shoulder) and wideout Deebo Samuel (wrist) have been cleared to play towards the Chiefs after being restricted in observe through the week.
Pearsall was shot in an alleged armed theft try within the Union Sq. space of San Francisco on Aug. 31. In line with the San Francisco Police Division, a 17-year-old male tried to rob Pearsall, leading to a battle between the 2. The shot exited Pearsall’s again and missed very important organs, permitting for a speedy restoration that Niners basic supervisor John Lynch has referred to as “actually, actually miraculous.”
Quickly after the taking pictures, Pearsall made it clear to Lynch and Shanahan that he meant to return to the sector earlier than later. The Niners positioned him on the non-football damage listing earlier than the Sept. 9 opener towards the New York Jets, which meant he needed to miss at the very least 4 video games.
San Francisco opted to carry Pearsall out for the primary six video games, however he was again on the sector for the primary time Monday when the group opened his 21-day observe window. Shanahan mentioned beforehand that he anticipated an extended ramp-up for Pearsall, who missed massive chunks of coaching camp with hamstring and left shoulder points, however the coach additionally mentioned he did not wish to make any judgments till he noticed Pearsall observe.
“We hadn’t seen him on the market shortly going with the group,” Shanahan mentioned. “Wednesday, he seemed nice, Thursday, he was even higher, and at the moment he was much more snug. It made the choice fairly simple.”
The ultimate hurdle earlier than Pearsall may observe was regaining full vary of movement in his proper shoulder, one thing that occurred final week. Pearsall’s power was so evident in a lighter observe session Monday that when teammates and coaches made him break down the huddle, he was out of breath from the brief two-minute drill they’d achieved as a result of he was so excited to be again.
Because the week went on, although, it turned more and more clear that Pearsall would have an opportunity to return towards Kansas Metropolis.
Pearsall, the No. 31 choose in April’s NFL draft, may very well be particularly useful towards a Chiefs protection that’s recognized for enjoying heavy press man protection.
“He is doing a extremely good job, clearly being again and simply bringing the juice, going actually quick out and in of his cuts and creating some actually good separation,” quarterback Brock Purdy mentioned. “While you’ve obtained a man like Ricky that may win man-to-man matchups after which additionally open up another guys too, that is all the time a great factor. So I am excited to see what he does.”
How a lot Pearsall performs stays to be seen. Along with his function within the offense, he has been engaged on catching punts through the week.
Jennings, in the meantime, was a shock addition to the damage report Wednesday after hurting a hip in final week’s win towards the Seattle Seahawks. Shanahan mentioned the damage wasn’t recognized till after he spoke to media Oct. 11.
By way of the primary six video games, Jennings leads the Niners in receiving yards (404) and has been in for 58.3% of San Francisco’s offensive snaps. With Jennings out, the Niners can have Pearsall, Chris Conley, Ronnie Bell and Jacob Cowing as choices behind starters Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk.
Shanahan mentioned Pearsall can be used “wherever he is wanted” and that he’s “wholesome and able to go.” Pearsall would have been activated even when Jennings have been wholesome, the coach mentioned.
As for Jennings, Shanahan indicated the hip difficulty is not anticipated to value him a lot time.
“I do not assume it is long run,” Shanahan mentioned. “I hope he’ll be prepared for subsequent week. He was shut this week.”
Samuel was restricted in observe Wednesday and Thursday with a wrist damage. He wore a blue noncontact jersey for each of these classes however shed it Friday and has no damage designation for Sunday. Like Samuel, Mason was restricted Wednesday and Thursday however full go Friday and has no damage designation.
Elsewhere on the damage report, the Niners can have their third kicker in as many video games Sunday as kickers Matthew Wright (again, shoulder) and Jake Moody (proper ankle) have been dominated out.
Wright was positioned on injured reserve Saturday.
San Francisco signed kicker Anders Carlson to the observe squad this week, and he was elevated Saturday to play towards the Chiefs.
