The San Francisco 49ers entered the 2024 NFL season with high expectations for their pass-catching group. George Kittle and Christian McCaffrey were arguably the best players at their positions and incredible in the receiving game in addition to their other talents.
John Lynch had just given Brandon Aiyuk the massive extension he wanted, Deebo Samuel was poised for another big year and fans expected Jauan Jennings to have his breakout season with another year of experience under his belt.
However, the 49ers drafted an insurance policy at wide receiver in the first round in the case that Aiyuk's contract negotiations went even further south. Florida's Ricky Pearsall was the selection at No. 31 overall, but he had a hard time getting going during his rookie campaign.
Ricky Pearsall is getting even closer with QB Brock Purdy
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Pearsall might have slightly underperformed compared to expectations, but given all he went through, he actually fared just fine in an offense with plenty of mouths to feed. The second-year receiver recently told [NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco](https://www.nbcsportsbayarea.com/nfl/san-francisco-49ers/ricky-pearsall-brock-purdy-relationship-chemistry/1855220/) that he has emphasized building a relationship with Brock Purdy this offseason ahead of what he hopes is a breakout campaign in 2025.
“It’s something that we just got to keep on working on,” Pearsall said. “You can never get too comfortable with each other. Just continue to get on the same page and discuss and communicate different routes, different looks that we see depending on what the defense is doing.”
Unfortunately, Pearsall missed an opportunity to do this early last season as he sat out the first six games recovering from a gunshot wound that he suffered in an attempted robbery in late August. This was tragic for both him and the fan base, but he was able to work his way back into the rotation for the final 11 games.
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All told, he caught 31 passes for 400 yards and three touchdowns, which is a solid mark for a rookie, but a bit on the low end for a receiver taken with premier draft capital. To his defense, the San Francisco offense stalled a bit last season anyway without McCaffrey or Aiyuk in the fold.
Last year, it was Jennings who emerged in the absence of these star players, but it could be Pearsall in 2025. Samuel is now with the Commanders, and Aiyuk's injury situation is a bit murky heading into training camp. By sheer volume of opportunity alone, Pearsall could be a breakout candidate.
Pearsall ended the 2024 season on a high note, catching 14 passes for 210 yards and two touchdowns in the final two contests. He also ran the ball twice and attempted a pass against the Detroit Lions in Week 17.
The relationship between a quarterback and a young receiver is always paramount to the success of an offense. Pearsal seems to understand this very well, and it appears he has his eyes set on making a major impact this season.
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