49ers OC Klay Kubiak singled out Ricky Pearsall and Jacob Cowing as two players who can take a jump in Year 2
Last week, I ran into a popular NFL trainer who works with tight ends, including Mark Andrews and Trey McBride. After talking more with him, he said that he just had a session with San Francisco 49ers wide receivers Ricky Pearsall and Jacob Cowing. Obviously, he spoke highly of the two, and can’t wait to see how they perform in Year 2.
He’s not the only one looking forward to Pearsall and Cowing in the 49ers offense.
Pearsall had a 46-yard touchdown in Week 10 against the Tampa Bay Buccanneers, making fans think he’d stick as a pro. However, Pearsall wouldn’t record another catch until nearly a month later. In Week 17, Pearsall had 141 receiving yards and a touchdown, reminding you why the 49ers selected him in the first round.
Cowing, a 4th round pick in 2024, finished the season with two receptions. However, one was a 41-yard touchdown against the Kansas City Chiefs. You’ll never forget an explosive play. Cowing was also the Niners punt returner all season.
Offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak was asked on Thursday if there was anybody on the roster with whom he’d had conversations about making a big jump this offseason. Kubiak said he didn’t want to single out any players right before he singled out two players: Pearsall and Cowing.
Kubiak acknowledged that the position coaches have conversations and set expectations for each player. However, he said, “But you think of the younger guys who were maybe rookies last year, guys like Ricky and Jake who did really good things.”
The belief is that the most significant jump a player takes, outliers aside, is in Year 2. Kubiak said, “There’s always a jump in your second year.” This is also why defensive coordinator Robert Saleh listed Renardo Green when discussing the talent difference on the roster from 2017 to today.
How different will Cowing’s role be in 2025? It depends on how much he can handle. Kubiak said he’s already off to a good start:
“Yeah, we’ll get Jake as much involved as he shows his growth and development and what kind of camp he has. And Jake has done an outstanding job of showing up to our offseason in great shape and he’s getting better.
And Kyle says this all the time, but it’s so important for young players to show up to the offseason, just ready to get better. They’re in great shape. They can take these limited practices that we have with them to grow and get better. And Jake is doing a great job. He’s had a great offseason. He’s given himself a chance to get to camp and compete and to really contribute on offense.”
The 49ers signed Demarcus Robinson this offseason because he’s produced as a pro. Robinson isn’t guaranteed to start in place of Brandon Aiyuk as he recovers from a torn ACL. The best players will play.
In college, Cowing looked like the 4.3 version of Khalil Shakir. I have a hard time believing Kyle Shanahan can’t find a role for that type of player in his offense. Kubiak believes Pearsall is in the same boat as Cowing:
“Ricky’s really in the same boat. Him and Jake, I think they trained a lot together this offseason and they look awesome. It’s just physically they’re out there and they’re getting better every day. So, Ricky, both those guys were similar because they kind of had setbacks in the offseason. Jake had, I think an injury, Ricky had his issues in the offseason, so there was kind of a slow progression into the season for different reasons. And we expect both of those guys to keep improving the way they are and to be big contributors for us.”
Pearsall carving out a role on the perimeter could be the ripple effect to Cowing seeing more time in the slot. Although Cowing’s touchdown against the Chiefs came outside the numbers, giving him a two-way go in the slot with his speed makes Cowing more of a threat inside.
Somebody will take over Deebo Samuel’s role. The 49ers drafted a wideout in the fourth round this past draft. But the fourth-rounder from 2024 might be the player best suited to do so.