Ricky Pearsall shooting: What’s next for 49ers WR, team’s offensive plans ahead of 2024 NFL season

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall was released from the hospital Sunday, one day after the rookie suffered an apparent gunshot wound to the chest in an attempted robbery. Pearsall avoided injury to his vital organs, his mother revealed via social media, but is still recovering from the incident, which began when a 17-year-old held Pearsall at gunpoint, according to San Francisco police.

On Monday, the 49ers placed Pearsall on the reserve/non-football injury list, which makes him ineligible for the first four games of the regular season. What lies ahead for Pearsall in the wake of the shooting? How long could the first-round draft pick be sidelined in recovery? And what does his absence mean for the 49ers’ offense on the field?

NFI and potential roster moves

The NFI list is reserved for injuries or illnesses suffered outside of football and/or away from team facilities. Any player placed on NFI is required to miss four games, and does not count toward the team’s active 53-man roster. Pearsall won’t make his NFL debut until at least Oct. 6, when the 49ers host the Arizona Cardinals in Week 5. His placement on the NFI list also frees up a roster spot for San Francisco, which has three other receivers, including former Carolina Panthers prospect Terrace Marshall Jr., on the practice squad.

Potential recovery timeline

Medical experts, first and foremost, have expressed pleasant surprise at the fact Pearsall, 23, has already been released from hospitalization. Doctors from Stanford and USCF told Los Angeles’ ABC 7 that any torso- or chest-area gunshot wounds tend to be “life-threatening” or “instantly fatal.” Pearsall’s rare quick release suggests a recovery that could last weeks as opposed to many months, they speculate.

Pearsall likely faces a best-case recovery timeline of six to eight weeks, per CBS Sports HQ injury expert Marty Jaramillo. But full healing could take as long as four to six months. There are so many variables involved, but chest trauma can decrease both strength and endurance in the short term.

Sports medicine doctor Jesse Morse has echoed the optimism, indicating that Pearsall could be sidelined somewhere between four and eight weeks while recovering from the gunshot wound. That timeline, however, does not account for any psychological recovery that may be recommended. For reference, Kansas City Chiefs running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire will miss at least four games in 2024 due to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which stems from his own experience with a years-old shooting.

Immediate impact on the offense

Projecting Pearsall’s absence, the 49ers are still likely to lean upon veteran starters Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk out wide, especially with the latter recently locked up on a long-term contract extension. Tight end George Kittle also remains one of the club’s most accomplished pass catchers, giving San Francisco three proven primary outlets for quarterback Brock Purdy to start the season.

The most likely to see an uptick in offensive opportunities: veteran reserve Jauan Jennings, who’s often been heralded internally for his blocking and critical-down contributions; journeyman backup Chris Conley, who was once a full-time starter for the Jacksonville Jaguars; and fourth-round rookie Jacob Cowing, who was already poised to find a role in Kyle Shanahan’s attack thanks to a flashy preseason debut.