Wide receiver has been the main character this offseason for the San Francisco 49ers. The team has been rumored to trade a former All-Pro, is linked to signing another to a substantial extension, and drafted two in the 2024 NFL Draft. Oh, and one wideout agreed to a new contract.
ESPN’s Seth Walder went through each team to give his thoughts on their biggest move and the move he liked and disliked the most from the offseason:
As far as the defensive line goes, I believe Gross-Matos will give the Niners the best bang for their buck as far as offseason investments go. His versatility should allow him to play more, and the Niners have always maximized pass rushers they bring in with the flexibility to win inside and out.
The plan for Pearsall should be the story here. He walks into a situation where he won’t be in the top four for weapons on a team. How often does that happen for a first-round wide receiver? Some will feel like the 49ers need to see what they have in the Day 1 pick, but will Pearsall show he’s ready to make an impact and earn playing time over the wideouts ahead of him?
This assumes Brandon Aiyuk will be in the fold come Week 1. If he’s not, that puts immense pressure on Pearsall to perform right away, which isn’t something the 49ers likely planned for.
It’s safe to say we can expect Pearsall to play multiple positions, likely around 30-40 percent of the snaps, while Kyle Shanahan figures out what he can do at the NFL level. Unfortunately, he’ll be viewed as a reach/bust by the outside world if the production isn’t there in Year 1.
