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Ricky Pearsall Ricky Pearsall Making recovery progress
Fri, Jul 26, 2024, 6:08 PM
Pearsall (hamstring) worked on the side at Friday's practice and has progressed to running routes at what has seemingly been full speed, David Lombardi of The Athletic reports.
Analysis: Pearsall remains on the active/non-football injury list, but it looks like he could be ready to be activated and resume practicing as early as next week. Once ready to retake the field, the rookie first-round pick might have an opportunity to take advantage of Brandon Aiyuk's current hold-in and get some extra first-team reps in. |
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Malik Turner Malik Turner Signs with San Francisco
Thu, Jul 25, 2024, 2:20 PM
The 49ers signed Turner to a one-year deal Thursday.
Analysis: With Trent Williams holding out, it opened up a roster spot in San Francisco. Turner appeared in three games for the Niners in 2022 but was out of the league last season after spending most of last summer with the Colts. Turner is now 28 years old and has 29 career catches across 44 contests. |
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Deebo Samuel Deebo Samuel Slims down in offseason
Thu, Jul 25, 2024, 11:11 AM
Samuel appears to have lost weight during the offseason, Nick Wagoner of The Athletic reports.
Analysis: Samuel presumably can drop some pounds and still be by far the most powerful ballcarrier among NFL wide receivers. Assuming the weight loss was intentional, he's likely trying to improve his agility and route running, which could allow him to have more impact catching passes downfield. Samuel drew just 26 targets 10-plus yards downfield last season, compared to 46 during his 2021 breakout campaign (per PFF). He'll perhaps always be most dangerous as a runner and short-pass YAC threat, but efficiency on the deeper targets hasn't been a problem, so there's arguably still room for volume growth there. The issue, more so than Samuel's skill set, is that he's competing for touches in an offense that also WR Brandon Aiyuk, TE George Kittle and RB Christian McCaffrey. While Aiyuk may not be practicing amidst contract frustration/negotiations, it still seems more likely than not he'll be on the field for San Francisco come Week 1. |
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Isaac Guerendo Isaac Guerendo Injures hamstring Wednesday
Wed, Jul 24, 2024, 2:19 PM
Guerendo departed Wednesday's training camp practice early due to a hamstring injury, Jennifer Lee Chan of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.
Analysis: The severity of Guerendo's injury isn't known, with head coach Kyle Shanahan saying that the running back will need to be evaluated further, according to Lindsey Pallares of the 49ers' official site. It's a tough start for the rookie speedster, who is working to carve out a role behind Christian McCaffrey and Elijah Mitchell. Guerendo dealt with recurring soft-tissue injuries in college, so his status will warrant close monitoring. |
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Brandon Aiyuk Brandon Aiyuk Present, but not practicing
Wed, Jul 24, 2024, 12:59 PM
Aiyuk is present at training camp Wednesday but isn't dressed for practice, Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Analysis: Though he's reported from training camp, Aiyuk looks to be "holding in" and thus abstaining from team drills as he continues to look for a contract extension. Coming off a breakout season in which he put up a 75-1,342-7 receiving line on 105 targets in 15 games, Aiyuk has expressed frustration with the fact that he remains without a long-term deal, and he went so far as to officially request a trade prior to the start of camp. Still, considering Aiyuk's lack of leverage, the most likely outcome remains that he plays out the 2024 season in a 49ers uniform, whether on the fifth-year option on his rookie contract or a new deal. |
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Cameron Latu Cameron Latu Participating in training camp
Tue, Jul 23, 2024, 6:01 PM
Latu (knee) opened 49ers training camp without an injury designation Tuesday, David Lombardi of The Athletic reports.
Analysis: The 2023 third-round pick out of Alabama missed his entire rookie campaign after sustaining a meniscus injury in San Francisco's last preseason game. Latu appears to be past the injury, and he will battle Eric Saubert for the No. 3 tight end spot behind George Kittle and Logan Thomas. |
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George Kittle George Kittle Ready for training camp
Tue, Jul 23, 2024, 1:37 PM
Kittle (groin) is ready for the start of training camp Tuesday and will not be placed on the PUP list, David Lombardi of The Athletic reports.
Analysis: Kittle lacks any injury designation for Day 1 of training camp and will participate in team activities, indicating that he's fully recovered from the core muscle procedure he underwent after the Super Bowl. The standout tight end said back in June that he lost nearly 30 pounds early in the offseason while recovering from surgery, as well as shoulder and rib injuries, but that he'd already regained almost all the weight. Coming off a 65-1,020-6 receiving line across 16 regular-season appearances in 2023, Kittle remains positioned to repeat as a top fantasy option at the tight end position. His target share could even increase depending on the outcome of teammate Brandon Aiyuk's recent trade request. |
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Ricky Pearsall Ricky Pearsall Hamstring injury appears minor
Tue, Jul 23, 2024, 1:22 PM
49ers GM John Lynch said Tuesday that Pearsall (hamstring), who remains on the active/non-football injury list, is expected to miss at least the first four practices of training camp, David Lombardi of The Athletic reports.
Analysis: Lynch said Pearsall will miss the first "block" of training camp, which consists of roughly four sessions, due to a hamstring injury he suffered away from team facilities. Meanwhile, Brandon Aiyuk is among veterans reporting for camp Tuesday, though he remains dissatisfied with his contract. It's encouraging that Pearsall doesn't appear to be staring down too long a recovery timetable, but the rookie first-round pick's opportunities in Year 1 will depend on a combination of his getting healthy quickly and impressing his coaching staff, plus Aiyuk's presence or lack thereof atop the depth chart. |
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Brandon Aiyuk Brandon Aiyuk Reporting to training camp
Tue, Jul 23, 2024, 12:49 PM
Aiyuk, who officially requested a trade last week, is present for the start of 49ers training camp Tuesday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
Analysis: Aiyuk will be among veterans reporting to team facilities Tuesday for San Francisco, despite his outspoken desire for a new contract and recent request for a trade. Showing up will allow Aiyuk to avoid fines, as teams are required to penalize players on their rookie contracts $40,000 per day missed of camp, but he could still opt to work on the sidelines rather than participate in on-field team drills. That wouldn't be a surprising choice, as it would allow Aiyuk to maintain some leverage and avoid injury despite being physically present. Commanders GM Adam Peters said Tuesday that Aiyuk is unlikely to end up in Washington via trade, Sam Fortier of The Washington Post reports, but expect the situation regarding any potential trades to continually unfold. Aiyuk has also been the subject of trade rumors surrounding the Steelers, Patriots and Broncos, among others, this offseason, but he remains scheduled to play the 2024 season in San Francisco via the fifth-year option on his rookie contract. |
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Brandon Aiyuk Brandon Aiyuk No trade to Washington expected
Tue, Jul 23, 2024, 11:19 AM
Commanders GM Adam Peters said Aiyuk is unlikely to end up in Washington, Sam Fortier of The Washington Post reports.
Analysis: Frustrated with extension contract negotiations, Aiyuk requested a trade earlier this month. Washington has been oft-mentioned as a fit due to the wideout's friendship with the Commanders' new franchise quarterback Jayden Daniels as well as the team's shaky wideout depth behind Terry McLaurin, but it doesn't sound like the front office has any expectation of making such a splashy trade before the start of the season. Scheduled to play out 2024 under the fifth-year option on his rookie contract, Aiyuk may hold out from training camp even though he'd accrue $50,000 in mandatory fines each day. |
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Ricky Pearsall Ricky Pearsall Starting camp on NFI list
Tue, Jul 16, 2024, 4:13 PM
The 49ers placed Pearsall (undisclosed) on the active/non-football injury list Tuesday, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.
Analysis: Pearsall's placement on the NFI list indicates that his injury was sustained away from team activities. The details and severity of the injury remain undisclosed, but the 2024 first-round pick's placement on the NFI list comes at the same time as Brandon Aiyuk's official request to be traded, potentially depriving the 49ers of both negotiation leverage and receiver depth. If Aiyuk's request is granted and he ends up traded, Pearsall will benefit from a substantially clearer path to starting reps alongside Deebo Samuel and Jauan Jennings, but he'll first need to get healthy and return to the practice field. |
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Brandon Aiyuk Brandon Aiyuk Officially requests trade
Tue, Jul 16, 2024, 12:20 PM
Aiyuk officially requested a trade from the 49ers on Tuesday, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.
Analysis: Aiyuk's trade requests follows a tumultuous offseason, and though his recent meeting with the team was reported to have gone well, the star wideout is now looking to force San Francisco's hand with training camp just around the corner. It now seems realistic that Aiyuk, who is currently positioned to play out the 2024 season on a $14.12 million salary under the fifth-year option of his rookie deal, could hold out of training camp if no trade comes quickly to fruition. The 49ers selected Ricky Pearsall in the first round of April's draft, giving the team a pivot option behind top wideout Deebo Samuel should Aiyuk move on, and also brought back Jauan Jennings on a two-year deal. |
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Brandon Aiyuk Brandon Aiyuk Hoping to stay in San Francisco
Mon, Jul 1, 2024, 9:40 AM
Aiyuk recently told The Pivot podcast that he wants and expects to play for the 49ers this season despite being frustrated with contract negotiations at times.
Analysis: "If I were to take a guess, probably a Niners uniform," Aiyuk said. "But if not a Niners uniform, probably a Washington Commander uniform. " Aiyuk said there have been times when he thought he was close to signing a new contract but also other moments where it felt the two sides were far apart. He met with the 49ers last Monday, and he then told The Pivot podcast that he's currently "in the right place, with the right quarterback" but "not on the right terms." Even though Aiyuk mentioned teaming up with close friend Jayden Daniels, the new QB in Washington, it sounds like the wideout still prefers San Francisco if he can get the contract he wants (or something close to it). |
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Brandon Aiyuk Brandon Aiyuk Meeting with Niners goes well
Thu, Jun 27, 2024, 12:32 PM
Aiyuk and the 49ers had a meeting Monday that Tom Pelissero of NFL Network described as "good," and both sides are continuing to work toward a contract extension, Grant Gordon of NFL.com reports.
Analysis: Aiyuk, who held out of mandatory minicamp earlier this month, requested a meeting with San Francisco roughly one week after posting a video in which he told Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels, whom he played with at Arizona State, that the 49ers "said they don't want me back," per Nick Wagoner of ESPN. It seems things have landed in a more amicable place following Monday's most recent meeting, though there still aren't any signs that an agreement on a new contract is immediately around the corner. As it stands, Aiyuk remains in line to play under the fifth-year option on his rookie contract for $14.12 million for 2025, but if that doesn't change by the start of training camp tensions could come to a head, especially if he continues to hold out. The 26-year-old is coming off back-to-back 1,000-yard receiving campaigns and has been one of the most efficient wide receivers in the league in Kyle Shanahan offenses. |
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George Kittle George Kittle Working to regain lost weight
Thu, Jun 20, 2024, 11:02 AM
Kittle (core muscle) recently told the Bussin' With The Boys podcast that he lost nearly 30 pounds at the beginning of the offseason while rehabbing injuries.
Analysis: Kittle had core muscle surgery after the Super Bowl and was also recovering from shoulder and rib injuries at the time -- a combination that prevented him from doing both upper- and lower-body weightlifting for about a month. He said he's "almost back to 100 percent" and has regained most of the lost weight, but he still wants to add about 10 more pounds before the start of the regular season. It sounds like Kittle will be ready for the beginning of training camp in late July. |
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George Kittle George Kittle On track for training camp
Tue, Jun 18, 2024, 8:24 PM
Lombardi (groin) is recovered from his core-muscle surgery, David Lombardi of The Athletic reports.
Analysis: Kittle has been a full participant on the practice field at his Tight End University. He founded the three-day camp with fellow tight ends Travis Kelce and Greg Olsen. Kittle played through a groin injury for about 10 weeks last season before undergoing core-muscle surgery in the offseason. He has previously stated his intentions to be ready for training camp, and it appears the star tight end is on track to do just that. He projects to again be a top fantasy option at his position in the upcoming season. |
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Brandon Aiyuk Brandon Aiyuk Frustrated with negotiations
Tue, Jun 18, 2024, 9:10 AM
Aiyuk expressed frustration Monday with the progress of contract negotiations, and while the 49ers remain interested in re-signing him, it's only on a cheaper deal than what he's looking for, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
Analysis: Aiyuk posted a TikTok video in which he says, "they don't want me," in an apparent reference to the 49ers. Rapoport says he doesn't think negotiations are "completely dead" even though there seems to be a big money gap between the two sides. While Aiyuk's post may add fuel to the fire of trade rumors, it's still possible the 49ers keep him in a contract year even if they aren't able to work out a long-term deal. He was a holdout during June minicamp and may not show up for the start of training camp if he's still set to play out 2025 under the fifth-year option on his rookie contract for $14.12 million. |
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Elijah Mitchell Elijah Mitchell Still the No. 2 back
Fri, Jun 7, 2024, 10:13 AM
Mitchell remains the clear No. 2 running back for San Francisco, David Lombardi of The Athletic reports.
Analysis: Lombardi notes that the Niners have a history of trading backup running backs (Matt Breida, Jeff Wilson) when they're happy with their depth at the position. That could be an option this summer, though it's not necessarily likely, with Mitchell in the final year of his contract and a pair of rookies (fourth-round pick Isaac Guerendo, UDFA Cody Schrader) getting work at minicamp. The 49ers also have returning veteran Jordan Mason, but he's mostly played special teams and has never managed to move above Mitchell on the depth chart when Mitchell's been healthy. The long-term plan probably entails Guerendo taking over as the No. 2 RB behind Christian McCaffrey, but Mitchell looks on track to handle the role again this season. |
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Cameron Latu Cameron Latu Progressing as planned
Tue, Jun 4, 2024, 3:00 PM
Latu (knee) has suffered no setbacks in his recovery and is expected to be ready for training camp, Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.
Analysis: Latu suffered a meniscus injury during a preseason game last year and missed the entirety of his rookie campaign. A third-round selection in the 2023 Draft, Latu will likely be competing with veteran Eric Saubert for the 49ers' No. 3 spot on the team's depth chart at tight end behind George Kittle (groin) and the newly acquired Logan Thomas. |
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Brandon Aiyuk Brandon Aiyuk Holding out from minicamp
Tue, Jun 4, 2024, 1:12 PM
Aiyuk is not present at 49ers' minicamp this week as he seeks a new contract, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
Analysis: This was expected after Aiyuk didn't report for voluntary OTAs following an offseason full of trade speculation. The wideout ultimately wasn't traded, and the two sides have reportedly engaged in dialogue regarding a new deal, though nothing has seemed to advance further than the talking stage. Aiyuk is currently set to collect a $14.124 million salary in 2024, the final year of his rookie deal. He's one of the many receivers around the league set to be paid handsomely, although it's unclear if San Francisco will ultimately be the team to do so. |
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