Brock Purdy gave some insight on Ricky Pearsall’s rookie campaign.
The San Francisco 49ers started off a chain reaction of events last offseason when they made the surprising move to draft wide receiver Ricky Pearsall with the No. 31 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Pearsall, known for his athleticism and knack for beating man coverage, was expected to be one of the team’s wide receivers of the future, leaving uncertainty with the current room.
Ultimately, the 49ers moved on from former All-Pro Deebo Samuel, who was traded to the Washington Commanders for a fifth-round pick this offseason, while extending Brandon Aiyuk and Jauan Jennings.
Now, heading into Year 2, with Aiyuk still nursing an injury, Pearsall has become one of the team’s lead wideouts, and has looked the part in training camp, according to reports.
Pearsall’s rookie year was one of many turns, as his offseason was derailed by injuries and a shooting that sidelined him for the beginning of the season. Upon returning to the field, he had a strong start, notching over 70 yards from scrimmage in two of his first three games.
But, the first-rounder went through a rough patch after that, accumulating only 58 receiving yards over the next six games while having limited playing time. What led to those early struggles for Pearsall with the 49ers?
“In our offense, it’s usually steps, timing, you’re breaking at a certain angle, and Ricky, last year, he was raw with his talent,” quarterback Brock Purdy said about Pearsall. “He had it, but he also had to learn our system, our timing, where I’m throwing the ball. He’s got a lot of shimmy and stuff, which is great. We need that, specifically against man coverage and stuff to create separation, and we love that.
“But I think that there were some times where he had to learn, like, ‘hey, dude, you can’t take a couple more steps, and then break out. I need you there now. I need to get the ball out now.’
“We had a couple of those moments and stuff. There were times where he took it a little deeper, and then broke open. He was like, ‘Dude, I was open.’ I said, ‘In the timing of the play, I needed it quicker.’ So, we had moments like that, and that’s part of getting to the NFL, and learning the system, and a quarterback and a receiver talking and getting to know each other. I feel like it has gotten better, for sure, over the last year or so.”
After going through that learning curve, Pearsall stepped up his play over the final two games, going for eight catches and 141 yards with a touchdown in a 40-34 loss to the Detroit Lions.
Then, he wrapped up the year with a six-catch, 69-yard, and one-touchdown game against the Arizona Cardinals, finishing the season on a high note.
Now, this offseason, Pearsall and Purdy are looking to continue building that rapport, with the former taking on a bigger role in Year 2 as a lead receiver.
“I think towards the end of the last season, you saw Ricky come out of his shell,” Purdy continued. “He was playing within our system and timing. So, he is going to continue to learn who he is as a receiver, and what his strengths are and stuff, and I’m going to continue to learn with him, and that excites me. I think we’ve gotten some pretty good work so far, and we’re just going to continue to chip away at it.”