49ers Designate Ricky Pearsall For Return
OCTOBER 15: Coming off their bye week, the 49ers have made this designation official. Pearsall has been designated for return, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweets. It would make sense if the team gave Pearsall the full three-week onramp before activating him; Tuesday’s return designation starts that clock. The 49ers must activate Pearsall by Nov. 5 or he would miss the full season.
OCTOBER 11: Ricky Pearsall continues to make progress in his rehab, and he is set to return to the practice field in short order. The first-round rookie wideout will have his 21-day return window opened next week, per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer (video link). 
[RELATED: Christian McCaffrey Resumes On-Field Work]
Pearsall suffered a gunshot wound to the chest as the victim of an attempted robbery in August, and he began the campaign on the non-football injury list. Players moved to NFI are required to miss at least the first four weeks of the campaign, but the 24-year-old made steady progress through September. A return to practice was contemplated last week, but San Francisco elected to take a cautious approach.
Once Pearsall is officially designated for return, he will have three weeks before the 49ers will be forced to activate him to avoid the absence spanning the remainder of the campaign. Given how close the Florida product was to returning last week, he should be positioned to make his regular season debut in relatively short order. Pearsall will provide the team with another intriguing option at the skill positions.
Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel remained in place after an offseason filled with speculation about their respective futures. The former drew major trade attention, with a Steelers deal being worked out on the 49ers’ part; Aiyuk did, however, ultimately sign a four-year, $120MM extension. Samuel is under contract for 2025, but his pact does not contain any guaranteed salary for that year. As a result, the 28-year-old could be a trade candidate this spring as the 49ers prepare for a Brock Purdy extension.
Having Pearsall live up to expectations could of course soften the blow of moving on from Samuel. In his final collegiate season, Pearsall set career highs in catches (65) and yards (965), and he could operate a depth role behind Aiyuk, Samuel and Jauan Jennings once he is activated. With Aiyuk, Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle and Trent Williams on the books beyond this year – not to mention Purdy being due for a big-ticket extension – having an offensive contributor attached to a rookie deal for several seasons will be key from a financial standpoint.
The 49ers have seven activations remaining for the campaign, and one will be needed once Pearsall is ready to return to action. The team will also need to save activations for the likes of McCaffrey, Jon Feliciano, Ambry Thomas, Yetur Gross-Matos and Talanoa Hufanga as the season progresses. Regardless of how things play out on those injury fronts, Pearsall should be able to suit up in the near future.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/15/24
Today’s NFL practice squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: OLB Ronnie Perkins
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: S Dane Cruikshank, T Coy Cronk
Baltimore Ravens
- Released: CB Damarion Williams
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: WR Dan Chisena, LB Shaquille Quarterman
- Released: WR Deon Cain
Chicago Bears
- Signed: DE Jamree Kromah, LS Jake McQuaide
- Released: DT Travis Bell
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: WR James Proche, C Cameron Tom
- Released: RB Gary Brightwell, DT Siaki Ika
Dallas Cowboys
- Released: DT Phil Hoskins
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: T Spencer Rolland
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: DE Jalen Redmond
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: WR Dante Pettis
- Released: CB Shemar Jean-Charles
New York Giants
- Signed: DT Armon Watts
- Released: CB Duke Shelley
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: CB Parry Nickerson
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: S Adrian Amos
- Released: WR Terrace Marshall
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: CB Dallis Flowers
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: RB Joshua Kelley
Washington Commanders
- Signed: DT Carl Davis
Amos is far-removed from his days as a full-time starter in the NFC North. With Talanoa Hufanga on injured reserve, though, and only three safeties on the active roster, Amos could have an opportunity to make an impact in the Bay Area.
49ers To Sign K Anders Carlson
Another short-term Jake Moody replacement option is in place for San Francisco. The 49ers are adding Anders Carlson to their practice squad, Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports. 
Moody is dealing with a high ankle sprain, and his injury prompted a kicking addition last week. Matthew Wright was brought in, and the 28-year-old connected on all three of his field goal attempts and extra points in Week 6. Wright suffered a shoulder injury on Sunday, however, so this move will provide the team with a healthy insurance option.
Carlson was a sixth-round pick of the Packers last season, and he went 27-for-33 on field goal attempts during his rookie campaign. He missed five extra points, however, and Green Bay’s postseason run saw him miss one each of his field goal and extra point kicks. After struggling during the summer (one in which the Packers cycled through several kickers), Carlson was let go. Green Bay has relied on Brayden Narveson so far this year; the undrafted rookie has missed five of his 17 field goal tries.
Carlson has drawn interest since passing through waivers after roster cutdowns. The Auburn product visited the Bills last month amidst Tyler Bass‘ inconsistency. Bass remains in place with Buffalo for the time being, though. Carlson was also among the kickers who auditioned for San Francisco prior to Wright being signed. He did not do enough to land a deal right away, but his performance was clearly well-received.
Should Wright be forced to miss this week’s game (a Super Bowl rematch against the Chiefs), it will be Carlson in place to handle kicking duties. Moody could be an IR candidate based on his recovery timeline, but no move on that front has been made yet. Over at least a short-term period, Carlson could find himself seeing game action with San Francisco.
Woody Johnson’s View Of Jets’ Jeff Ulbrich Improved Following 49ers Interest
Jeff Ulbrich was added to the Jets’ staff in 2021 as defensive coordinator, a role he held until this week. Now in place as New York’s interim head coach, Ulbrich has seen his stock within the organization rise over time. 
The 47-year-old was not highly thought of by owner Woody Johnson after his first two years working under Robert Saleh. Ulbrich was a potential target of Johnson’s during the 2023 offseason with respect to coaching changes, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated notes (video link). Johnson’s view changed that winter, however, when 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan showed interest in Ulbrich as a potential San Francisco defensive coordinator replacement for DeMeco Ryans.
Ulbrich was blocked before an interview could take place that year, but he remained on the 49ers’ radar. As The Athletic’s Matt Barrows writes, San Francisco once again tried to “pry [Ulbrich] from New York” this February (subscription required). That renewed effort was unsuccessful, and the 49ers promoted Nick Sorenson to DC after Steve Wilks was dismissed. Now, Ulbrich – who spent his entire 10-year playing career in the Bay Area – is believed to be held in high regard by Jets players and staffers alike as he begins his first stint as an NFL head coach.
New York has ranked no worse than fourth in yards allowed since 2022, and the team’s total defense sits in the top five for the third time in the past four years. Ulbrich will retain play-calling duties on that side of the ball, and expectations will remain high as improvements on offense are sought out. Ulbrich followed through with Saleh’s intention of handing play-calling duties to Todd Downing, taking them away from offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett in the process.
“This is more a byproduct of a different take on things,” Ulbrich said of the decision (via ESPN’s Rich Cimini). “I’m not saying it’s a better or worse take on things by any means, but just a different take on things, a fresh approach.”
In addition to calling plays, Ulbrich confirmed Downing will have control over the offensive game plan moving forward. Hackett will still hold the title of OC, although this week’s changes will leave him with a notably reduced role. For Ulrich, the remainder of the campaign will prove to be an audition period as he attempts to stake his claim to the full-time Jets gig. Should New York go in a different direction this offseason, though, the 49ers would represent a team to watch closely regarding another pursuit.
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/10/24
Thursday’s minor moves, including elevations for the opening game of Week 6:
Cleveland Browns
- Signed to active roster: CB Tony Brown
Green Bay Packers
- Signed (off Falcons’ practice squad): TE John FitzPatrick
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed to active roster: DT Matthew Butler
New England Patriots
- Signed (off Raiders’ practice squad): C Ben Brown
San Francisco 49ers
- Elevated: DT Evan Anderson, S Jaylen Mahoney
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed to active roster: CB Artie Burns
- Activated from PUP list: DT Cameron Young
- Placed on IR: OLB Uchenna Nwosu (story)
- Waived: G McClendon Curtis
- Elevated: OLB Jamie Sheriff, S Ty Okada
Washington Commanders
- Waived: QB Sam Hartman
NFC West Notes: Seahawks, Hufanga, Rams
Left in charge after the Seahawks jettisoned their other football operations pillar, John Schneider‘s search for Pete Carroll‘s successor started earlier. The 14-year Seattle HC’s age (72 as of Week 18 last season) moved Schneider to do some early work on candidates, per ESPN.com’s Brady Henderson, leading the team to 36-year-old Mike Macdonald.
While the Carroll-for-Macdonald change — or a move to a much younger candidate — was eventually expected, the decision from Seahawks ownership gave Schneider full autonomy for the first time. Previously riding shotgun to Carroll in terms of final roster say, Schneider’s takeover of sorts came after the aging HC had discussed ceding that power to the GM in recent years, Henderson adds. A January report also pointed to Carroll considering retirement around midseason only to reverse course; Seahawks ownership’s decision cemented the change to a Schneider-run operation. Although Carroll and Schneider rarely disagreed to the point the coach had to wield his decision-making hammer, it will be interesting to gauge the Seahawks’ direction with the longtime GM calling all the shots.
Carroll is technically a Seahawks advisor following his coaching stay, though the former Jets and Patriots HC wanted to coach again. He lobbied to keep the Seattle gig. But Carroll has kept his distance from the facility, with Henderson adding the departed coach wants to give Macdonald’s regime space. Carroll had indeed planned to serve in his advisory role, but he has stepped back in the months since. Carroll, now 73, is no longer eyeing another coaching job.
Here is the latest from the NFC West:
- Both Carroll and Macdonald signed off on a Jason Peters addition. The now-42-year-old tackle played sparingly for the Seahawks last season, coming in to help a team that missed RT Abraham Lucas for much of the season. With that again the case and George Fant‘s second Seattle stint on hold, the Seahawks again summoned Peters to the practice squad. Close to becoming the first O-lineman to be on an active roster in a 21st NFL season, Peters said he did not expect to play again. Staying in contact with Schneider helped the All-Decade blocker’s cause, Henderson adds, and he could be on the cusp of being elevated to the Hawks’ gameday roster again.
- Tre’Davious White is still on the Rams‘ 53-man roster, but the team deemed the eighth-year veteran a healthy scratch in Week 5. Classifying this as a coach’s decision, Sean McVay demoted the free agency acquisition from starter to out of the mix entirely, via The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue. This is an interesting decision, even with the Rams activating Darious Williams from IR and turning to the recently re-signed Ahkello Witherspoon as a starter (alongside Cobie Durant) for the first time this season. Despite his injury trouble during the final years of his Bills tenure, White played 98% of Los Angeles’ defensive snaps during the team’s first four games. Pro Football Focus rated White as the NFL’s seventh-worst corner this season, and the former Buffalo extension recipient has already been charged with allowing four touchdown receptions and a 138.4 passer rating as the closest defender this season. White, 29, is on a one-year, $4.25MM deal.
- Talanoa Hufanga is back on IR, having suffered a wrist injury shortly after his ACL rehab odyssey concluded. Injuries are slowing the All-Pro safety, but ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano still views him as being on the 49ers’ extension radar. Hufanga joins cornerbacks Charvarius Ward and Deommodore Lenoir on San Francisco’s extension radar. The team may be readier to commit to Lenoir compared to Ward, who is three years younger (at 25), but Hufanga being on the team’s re-up radar is interesting. The former fifth-round pick rocketed onto the All-Pro tier in 2022 and would make sense as an extension candidate, but the 49ers paid Brandon Aiyuk this offseason and have a Brock Purdy extension on the horizon. Choices will need to be made on a defense that also houses Dre Greenlaw in a contract year.
49ers Place S Talanoa Hufanga On IR; K Jake Moody An IR Candidate
OCTOBER 9: The 49ers are following through with an IR move for one of these regulars. Hufanga is heading back to IR, the team announced. Finishing last season sidelined due to an ACL tear, Hufanga is expected back this season. But the All-Pro safety will be shut down for at least four games. The 49ers signed tight end Brayden Willis from their practice squad to take Hufanga’s roster spot.
OCTOBER 8: Talanoa Hufanga has managed to make a pair of appearances this season for the 49ers, but his next game action will come after a notable absence. The All-Pro safety is dealing with ligament damage in his wrist, head coach Kyle Shanahan said on Tuesday. 
[RELATED: 49ers Place Yetur Gross-Matos On IR]
As a result, Hufanga is facing an absence of roughly one month. A stint on injured reserve would ensure at least a four-game absence, making that a consideration in this case. Shanahan added (via Matt Barrows of The Athletic) the team has yet to decide if an IR stint will be in store.
In either case, today’s news is unwelcomed given Hufanga’s importance to the 49ers’ secondary and his missed time from last year. The 25-year-old suffered a torn ACL in November, limiting him to 10 regular season games and sidelining him for San Francisco’s run to the Super Bowl. Hufanga was activated from the PUP list at the end of the summer, though, making him eligible to play within the first four weeks of the campaign upon returning to practice.
The former fifth-rounder made his season debut in Week 3 before missing the following contest. Hufanga then suffered his latest injury early in Sunday’s loss to the Cardinals, a game which dropped the 49ers’ record to 2-3. Rebounding from that poor start will be challenging as the team deals with several key absences on defense.
In other injury news, kicker Jake Moody – who is dealing with a high ankle sprain – is facing a similar recovery timeline, per Shanahan. He too could land on IR, something which would result in an extended audition period for the team’s new kicker. Matthew Wright is now in place as Moody’s replacement, having agreed to a practice squad deal earlier today.
The 49ers designated defensive tackle Kalia Davis for return from IR before the roster cutdown deadline. That move used one of their eight activations for the year (although Davis has not yet been brought back into the fold), with running back Christian McCaffrey, cornerback Ambry Thomas and Jon Feliciano all still on injured reserve. First-round rookie wideout Ricky Pearsall remains on the reserve/NFI list for now; all four members of that group will use up an activation once they are healthy. The 49ers must therefore be careful with IR designations moving forward, but one or both of Hufanga and Moody could be shelved for four games soon.
49ers To Add K Matthew Wright
The 49ers look to have their temporary kicker selected. After a five-specialist workout, San Francisco is going with Matthew Wright. The veteran fill-in will be added to the team’s practice squad, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter tweets.
The 49ers lost starting kicker Jake Moody to a high ankle sprain during their Week 5 loss to the Cardinals, and their next game on Thursday gave them little time to find a replacement.
Wright has spent four years in the NFL as a mercenary kicker for teams in need of stopgap solutions due to injury like the 49ers. He played 14 games for the Jaguars in 2021 after Josh Lambo went down, and has also spent time with the Steelers, Chiefs, and Panthers. Wright has made 40 of his 47 career field goal attempts (85.7%), with a long of 59, and his PAT conversion rate is 94.6%.
Wright beat out Randy Bullock, Anders Carlson and Matt Coghlin for San Francisco’s kicking job, per Schefter. Riley Patterson also auditioned for the gig, according to Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle.
Wright will have to quickly get on the same page as punter/holder Mitch Wishnowsky. Wishnowsky hit a 26-yard field goal against Arizona, but 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan declined to give him a chance from 44 yards, instead electing to attempt a fourth-and-23. The conversion failed, and the Cardinals would go on to score 10 unanswered points to win.
Wright is expected to be elevated from the practice squad for the 49ers’ Thursday matchup with the Seahawks. He will need to overcome a raucous Seattle crowd to help San Francisco keep up in the NFC West.
49ers Place DE Yetur Gross-Matos On IR
OCTOBER 7: Gross-Matos is unlikely to be ready when first eligible, with Kyle Shanahan confirming Monday (via The Athletic’s Matt Barrows) the free agent pickup underwent surgery that will sideline him for four to eight weeks.
OCTOBER 5: The 49ers’ defense has encountered another notable injury. Defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos was placed on injured reserve Saturday, per a team announcement. 
A knee injury will keep the free agent pickup sidelined for at least the next four games. Gross-Matos was inactive for the season opener, but he handled a regular defensive workload during each of the following three games. His absence will compound the injuries San Francisco is already dealing with in the front seven in particular.
Defensive tackle Javon Hargrave is likely out for the remainder of the season due to a partial triceps tear. Along the edge, 2022 second-rounder Drake Jackson was shut down for 2024 back in August, after he was unable to recover from the knee injury which limited him to eight games last year. Jackson’s absence paved the way for Leonard Floyd and Gross-Matos to handle a notable workload in their respective debut 49ers campaigns.
The latter began his career in Carolina. He played out his rookie contract while spending time as both a base end and a stand-up outside linebacker. Gross-Matos served as a full-time starter in 2022, and his 4.5 sacks that year marked a career high. He inked a two-year, $18MM pact in free agency in a bid to return to a permanent starting role. The former second-rounder logged a 46% snap share without recording a sack in his first three San Francisco contests. It will be several weeks until he returns to action and has the opportunity to make more of a statistical impact.
In the meantime, Floyd will continue handle starting duties alongside Nick Bosa on the edge. Floyd also signed a two-year pact during the spring, and the 32-year-old came to the Bay Area with high expectations after logging at least nine sacks in each of the past four seasons. He has only registered one so far, but with Jackson and now Gross-Matos out of the picture the Bosa-Floyd tandem will be leaned on heavily in the pass-rush department. Notable production from those two would help the 49ers overcome at least some of their injury problems as they look to improve from a 2-2 start.
49ers’ Jake Moody Suffers High Ankle Sprain
Jake Moody was carted off the field after attempting a tackle on a kickoff return in the first half, sidelining him for the remainder of the game. He was replaced by punter Mitch Wishnowsky, who converted a 26-yard field goal before halftime but did not attempt a kick in the second half. This hindered the 49ers in a narrow loss to the Cardinals.
San Francisco’s kicker suffered a high ankle sprain during Sunday’s loss to the Cardinals, according to The Athletic’s Matt Barrows. This injury is to Moody’s right kicking leg and introduces a scenario in which the 49ers will need to add a kicker. Moody is expected to miss multiple games, per NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco.
Moody’s injury certainly impacted Kyle Shanahan‘s decision-making as the 49ers attempted to hold onto a 23-10 halftime lead. The 49ers tried to convert for a fourth-and-23 from the Cardinals’ 27-yard line in the third quarter instead of sending Wishnowsky out for a 44-yard field goal attempt. Brock Purdy‘s pass fell incomplete, and the Cardinals took advantage of the opportunity with a touchdown drive that cut the lead to three points.
Moody was wearing a walking boot following the game, per Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle. The second-year kicker told media in the locker room that he would get an MRI to determine the severity of his injury. Chosen in Round 3 last year, the Michigan alum played in every 49ers game as a rookie.
“It rolled underneath me, spun a little farther than it should. Nothing’s broken thankfully,” said Moody, via KNBR.
With a visit to Seattle on Thursday night ahead, the 49ers will need to move quickly to evaluate their kicking situation and sign a stop-gap replacement for Moody if needed. Shanahan pointed to a replacement coming in.
“They’ll work on that stuff right away,” said Shanahan in his postgame press conference. “We’ll get them in as fast as possible, and pick the best guy we can.”
The Cardinals faced a kicker crisis of their own this week with veteran Matt Prater dealing with a left knee injury. Arizona signed ex-Patriots kicker Chad Ryland to its practice squad on Wednesday and elevated him for Sunday’s game. Ryland made three of his four field goal attempts against the 49ers, including a 35-yard game-winner with 1:37 remaining in the fourth quarter. Prater remains on the Cardinals’ 53-man roster, with the team going with two kickers for the time being. The 49ers will need to weigh Moody’s recovery timetable with other roster needs, as a Moody IR move would sideline him for four games.