Knee surgery sidelines former first-round pick for 2026
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San Francisco 49ers receiver Ricky Pearsall will have season-ending surgery on his injured right knee in the latest setback for the 2024 first-round pick.
General manager John Lynch announced the decision on Saturday for Pearsall to undergo surgery to repair his posterior cruciate ligament. Pearsall initially injured the knee last season and came back to play late in the season. But he was shut down after two practices in training camp because of swelling in the knee.
The Niners announced that former All-Pro Deebo Samuel had returned to the team on a one-year deal worth up to $7 million to take Pearsall鈥檚 place on the roster. Samuel took part in practice on Saturday as he returned to the place where he played for his first six seasons in the NFL.
鈥淚 wouldn鈥檛 say it was different. It kind of felt like I didn鈥檛 even go nowhere to be honest,鈥� he said. 鈥淲hen I got back, I was just like, 鈥榃ell, I know what鈥檚 going on. I know the people here, staff still the same.鈥� It鈥檚 kind of like the same.鈥�
Pearsall has flashed when he is healthy, but has struggled to stay on the field since being drafted with the 31st overall pick in 2024. He missed most of training camp as a rookie with a shoulder injury and then was shot in a robbery attempt just before the start of that season. Pearsall returned to make 31 catches for 400 yards and three TDs in 11 games.
Pearsall was slowed early last summer by a hamstring injury, but got off to a fast start to the season with 20 catches for 327 yards in his first four games before going down with a knee injury in Week 4.
He missed the next six games and had only five catches for 20 yards in his first three games back. Pearsall then had six catches for 96 yards the following game against Tennessee before reaggravating the knee injury. He missed two of the final three regular-season games and the playoff opener before being a nonfactor in a divisional round loss to Seattle.
Pearsall has 67 catches for 928 yards and three TDs in 20 games over two seasons. Pearsall鈥檚 lack of playing time makes it unlikely the team would put up his fifth-year option for 2028 next spring.
The 49ers bolstered the receiver room by signing free agent Mike Evans in March and drafting De鈥橺haun Stribling with the first pick of the second round in April. Now they are also bringing back Samuel after he spent last season in Washington. Stribling missed practice Saturday with hamstring tightness but has been impressive early in camp.
Samuel spent his first six seasons with the 49ers after being drafted in the second round in 2019, helping the team reach the Super Bowl twice and earning All-Pro honors in 2021 when he had 1,770 yards from scrimmage and 14 touchdowns.
Samuel was traded to Washington in 2025 for a fifth-round draft pick and had 72 catches for 727 yards and five TDs for the Commanders last season. He became a free agent in March and now will join the Niners to provide reinforcement with Pearsall out.
鈥淚鈥檝e hated him so long, and it鈥檚 so nice to have him back in a friendly atmosphere,鈥� said defensive coordinator Raheem Morris, who went up against Samuel when he ran the Rams defense from 2021-23.
鈥淗e鈥檚 the ultimate piece that can move around and you have to game plan around because his ability to run the football, his ability line up at receiver, his ability take screens, his ability do a bunch of different things on special teams, whether it be return man or whatever the case may be.鈥�
Samuel has 406 catches for 5,519 yards and 27 touchdowns in his career and has been one of the most dynamic players after the catch in the NFL. His average of 8.7 yards after the catch on receptions rank first among all receivers with at least 100 catches since 2019. He also has rushed for 1,218 yards and 21 TDs in 97 games.
Several other players were dealing with new injuries on Saturday for the Niners. Defensive lineman Cameron Sample (knee) and rookie DL Romello Height (elbow) didn鈥檛 practice. DL Keion White (abductor) and DL Mikail Kamara (knee) got hurt in practice.
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) -- Chiefs wide receivers Xavier Worthy and Cyrus Allen left training camp with minor injuries Saturday, depleting a position group that was disappointing last season and that Kansas City needs to be significantly improved this season.
The Chiefs said after the workout that Worthy had left early because of a shoulder injury. The third-year pro missed time last season with another shoulder injury he sustained when he collided with tight end Travis Kelce in the season opener against the Chargers.
Worthy returned to play in 13 more games and catch 42 passes for 532 yards and a touchdown.
Allen, a fifth-round draft pick, had turned heads early in camp and drawn rave reviews from the coaching staff. He collided with Kaiir Elam during a special teams drill and remained on the turf until a cart came and took him from the practice field.
He was diagnosed later with a shin bruise and is not expected to miss much time.
鈥淚 hate to see somebody get hurt, especially on a special teams drill,鈥� Chiefs special teams coordinator Dave Toub said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 really doing well on offense and he鈥檚 doing well for me, too. He鈥檚 at gunner and returner and he鈥檚 doing a real good job, putting himself in a good position to be a guy that鈥檚 going to help us this year.鈥�
One of the big reasons that the Kansas City offense struggled amid a frustrating 6-11 finish last season was the wide receivers, who were unable to provide Patrick Mahomes much help. Rashee Rice was their leader at the position, but he only played in eight games because of injuries and suspension, catching 53 passes for 571 yards and five touchdowns.
Marquise Brown, their No. 2 wide receiver a year ago, signed with the Eagles in free agency.
The Chiefs are off Sunday before they resume Monday with their first padded practice of training camp.
DETROIT LIONS
DETROIT (AP) -- The Detroit Lions signed free-agent linebacker Devin White on Saturday.
The Lions announced the signing on their X account, but provided no details of the deal.
The 28-year-old White recorded a career-high 174 tackles for the Las Vegas Raiders last season. White, a first-round draft pick by Tampa Bay in 2019, was a Pro Bowl selection for the Buccaneers in 2021. White played five seasons for Tampa Bay before playing for Houston in 2024 and then enjoying the career revival with the Raiders.
White has started in 93 of 100 career games in seven seasons. He started all 17 games for the Raiders last season and his 174 tackles ranked third in the NFL. He added 2.5 sacks, one forced fumble and one interception.