The 49ers will have one less wide receiver under contract after first-round draft pick Ricky Pearsall signed a four-year rookie contract on Thursday, league sources told NBC Sports Bay Area.
The 49ers’ eight-player rookie class is now all under contract through the 2024 season.
All NFL rookie salaries are based on draft position, with Pearsall’s four-year contract making him $12.5 million in total. The Florida native will continue to be heavily involved in coach Kyle Shanahan’s offense after spending a significant amount of time on the field during organized team activities (OTAs) and mandatory minicamps.
While there is no news on a possible contract extension with Brandon Aiyuk, Piersall could still get more playing time on the field, which will help him transition to the NFL and build chemistry with quarterback Brock Purdy.
The rookie showed off his ability to catch passes from the new quarterback while working on the field before the team goes on summer break. Piersall was on the field with Purdy, backup quarterbacks Brandon Allen and Josh Dobbs.
Until Aiyuk, who is under contract through the 2024 season, returns, Piersall will be on the field with Deebo Samuel, Jauan Jennings, Ronnie Bell, Chris Conley, Danny Gray, Tay Martin, and rookies Jacob Cowing and Terrik Owens.
Shanahan, who has not been involved in contract negotiations, has always preferred for players to participate in minicamp, but his opinion on Aiyuk hasn’t changed after the receiver’s notable absence in early June.
“You find out when guys are in those situations, whether they come or not,” Shanahan said during minicamp. “Some guys come because they want to avoid a fine, and some don’t. But regardless, it doesn’t change anything when those guys have come. We know what the process is, we know what the business part is, and that’s just how they decide how they want to handle this week.”
So while Aiyuk waits for his new contract, Pearsall has signed his first NFL contract and is ready to hit the ground running.