San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall will miss the entire 2026 season after a setback with his injured right knee, the team announced Saturday. General Manager John Lynch confirmed Pearsall will undergo surgery to repair his posterior cruciate ligament.
Pearsall, the 49ers' first-round draft pick in 2024, initially injured his knee last season. He returned to play late in the season but experienced swelling after two practices this week, leading to the decision for surgery.
In a related move, the 49ers announced the return of former All-Pro wide receiver Deebo Samuel on a one-year deal worth up to $7 million. Samuel will take Pearsall's spot on the roster.
Pearsall's NFL career has been marked by injuries. As a rookie, he missed most of training camp with a shoulder injury and was also the victim of a robbery attempt. He appeared in 11 games in his rookie season, catching 31 passes for 400 yards and three touchdowns. Last season, he was slowed by a hamstring injury early on. After a strong start with 20 catches for 327 yards in his first four games, he suffered a knee injury in Week 4. He missed six games and then re-aggravated the knee injury late in the season, missing two of the final three regular-season games and the playoff opener.
![Ricky Pearsall took part in two practices this week before trainers quickly shut him down]( "Ricky Pearsall
In total, Pearsall has recorded 67 catches for 928 yards and three touchdowns in 20 games over his two seasons. The team had also bolstered its receiver group by signing free agent Mike Evans in March and drafting De'Zhaun Stribling in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Samuel, who spent his first six seasons with the 49ers after being drafted in 2019, was traded to Washington in 2025. With Washington last season, he had 72 catches for 727 yards and five touchdowns. He became a free agent in March. Samuel has 406 career catches for 5,519 yards and 27 touchdowns. He has also rushed for 1,218 yards and 21 touchdowns. "When the ball's in Deebo's hands, there's a lot of special things that he can do," acting coach Chris Foerster said Friday. "So, you find as many different ways to get the ball in his hands so he can impact the game in a special way."
