49ers GM Lynch states Pearsall trending toward playing vs. Chiefs

49ers GM Lynch states Pearsall trending toward playing vs. Chiefs originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

It is looking more and more as if 49ers rookie wide receiver Ricky Pearsall will make his NFL debut on Sunday.

“He stacked two really good practices here,” 49ers general manager John Lynch said Friday morning on KNBR’s “Murph and Markus Show.”

“We got to see how he responds today. We’ll make a decision as to whether he’s out there, but it’s trending in a good direction.”

When asked if there was a chance Pearsall could play Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs at Levi’s Stadium, Lynch answered, “Absolutely, there’s a chance. He’s had a good practice week.”

Pearsall, 24, was designated for return off the reserve/non-football injury list Monday, when the 49ers opened his practice window.

He went through a short practice on Monday and was a full participant during practices on Wednesday and Thursday.

The 49ers would have to activate Pearsall off the NFI list by 1 p.m. on Saturday in order for him to be eligible to play against Kansas City.

It appears the 49ers plan for Pearsall to see action with No. 3 wide receiver Jauan Jennings not expected to be available due to a hip injury.

The 49ers placed Pearsall on NFI in the week before the team’s regular-season opener after he was the victim of a shooting during an armed robbery attempt. The bullet entered the right side of his chest area and exited out his back, near his armpit, without striking any bones or vital organs.

Pearsall spent less than 24 hours in the hospital following the shooting.

“To Ricky’s credit, after the horrific situation, he responded extremely well physically and attacked the work to get himself back and just kept working,” Lynch said.

Pearsall was the 49ers’ first-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. He is seen as a high-level route runner with a 4.41-second speed in the 40-yard dash and good hands.

He finished his college career with 65 receptions for 965 yards and four touchdowns as a fifth-year senior at Florida.

“There’s a reason we picked him where we picked him,” Lynch said. “He’s a really good football player who we believe is going to help this team now and into the future. That could start this weekend.”

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