Barring injury or trade, Ricky Pearsall won't have a role in the 49ers offense this season. Instead, Pearsall most likely will be the primary punt returner.
That's not a knock on him. The 49ers simply have two top 10 wide receivers in Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel. They also have a slot receiver in Jauan Jennings whom they just gave a contract extension. Plus they have the highest-paid fullback in the NFL -- Kyle Juszczyk.
As it stands, Juszczyk and Jennings will have to share snaps -- they rarely will be on the field together. Which means there simply won't be any offensive snaps left over for Pearsall this year. But that doesn't mean he won't play. When Deebo Samuel inevitably gets hurt and misses games as he has done every season since high school, Pearsall probably will start in his place, because he's a better fit at flanker than Jennings who's a pure slot receiver. But outside of those few games, Pearsall won't play wide receiver.The 49ers have to find a way to get Pearsall on the field to justify his first-round selection and he has experience returning punts.
Remember, their previous punt returner, Ray Ray McCloud, was explosive, but he also fumbled in the Super Bowl because he tried to scoop and run with a muffed punt instead of diving on it and securing it. Pearsall shouldn't make that mistake.Grant Cohn has covered the San Francisco 49ers daily since 2011.
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