49ers WR Ricky Pearsall to undergo season-ending knee surgery

San Francisco 49ers receiver Ricky Pearsall will have season-ending surgery on his injured right knee in the latest setback for the 2024 first-round pick.

General manager John Lynch announced the decision on Saturday for Pearsall to undergo surgery to repair his posterior cruciate ligament. Pearsall initially injured the knee last season and came back to play late in the season. But he was shut down after two practices in training camp because of swelling in the knee.

The Niners announced that former All-Pro Deebo Samuel had returned to the team on a one-year deal worth up to $7 million to take Pearsall's place on the roster. Samuel took part in practice on Saturday as he returned to the place where he played for his first six seasons in the NFL.

“I wouldn’t say it was different. It kind of felt like I didn’t even go nowhere to be honest,” he said. “When I got back, I was just like, ‘Well, I know what’s going on. I know the people here, staff still the same.’ It’s kind of like the same.”

Pearsall has flashed when he is healthy, but has struggled to stay on the field since being drafted with the 31st overall pick in 2024. He missed most of training camp as a rookie with a shoulder injury and then was shot in a robbery attempt just before the start of that season. Pearsall returned to make 31 catches for 400 yards and three TDs in 11 games.

Pearsall was slowed early last summer by a hamstring injury, but got off to a fast start to the season with 20 catches for 327 yards in his first four games before going down with a knee injury in Week 4.

He missed the next six games and had only five catches for 20 yards in his first three games back. Pearsall then had six catches for 96 yards the following game against Tennessee before reaggravating the knee injury. He missed two of the final three regular-season games and the playoff opener before being a nonfactor in a divisional round loss to Seattle.

Pearsall has 67 catches for 928 yards and three TDs in 20 games over two seasons. Pearsall's lack of playing time makes it unlikely the team would put up his fifth-year option for 2028 next spring.

The 49ers bolstered the receiver room by signing free agent Mike Evans in March and drafting De’Zhaun Stribling with the first pick of the second round in April. Now they are also bringing back Samuel after he spent last season in Washington. Stribling missed practice Saturday with hamstring tightness but has been impressive early in camp.

Samuel spent his first six seasons with the 49ers after being drafted in the second round in 2019, helping the team reach the Super Bowl twice and earning All-Pro honors in 2021 when he had 1,770 yards from scrimmage and 14 touchdowns.

Samuel was traded to Washington in 2025 for a fifth-round draft pick and had 72 catches for 727 yards and five TDs for the Commanders last season. He became a free agent in March and now will join the Niners to provide reinforcement with Pearsall out.

“I’ve hated him so long, and it’s so nice to have him back in a friendly atmosphere,” said defensive coordinator Raheem Morris, who went up against Samuel when he ran the Rams defense from 2021-23.

“He’s the ultimate piece that can move around and you have to game plan around because his ability to run the football, his ability line up at receiver, his ability take screens, his ability do a bunch of different things on special teams, whether it be return man or whatever the case may be.”

Samuel has 406 catches for 5,519 yards and 27 touchdowns in his career and has been one of the most dynamic players after the catch in the NFL. His average of 8.7 yards after the catch on receptions rank first among all receivers with at least 100 catches since 2019. He also has rushed for 1,218 yards and 21 TDs in 97 games.

Several other players were dealing with new injuries on Saturday for the Niners. Defensive lineman Cameron Sample (knee) and rookie DL Romello Height (elbow) didn't practice. DL Keion White (abductor) and DL Mikail Kamara (knee) got hurt in practice.

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San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. runs during the NFL football team's training camp, Saturday, Aug. 1, 2026, in Santa Clara, Calif. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. runs during the NFL football team's training camp, Saturday, Aug. 1, 2026, in Santa Clara, Calif. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. speaks at a news conference during the NFL football team's training camp, Saturday, Aug. 1, 2026, in Santa Clara, Calif. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

FILE - San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. (1) runs for a first down during the first half of an NFL football game against the Miami Dolphins, Dec. 22, 2024, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, File)

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall (1) runs a drill against wide receivers coach Leonard Hankerson during the NFL football team's training camp Monday, July 27, 2026, in Santa Clara, Calif. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

MILWAUKEE (AP) — On the eve of the World Series, there is a realization these may be Major League Baseball's last games for a while.

Owners are pushing for a salary cap, and that could prompt a lockout starting Dec. 2 and result in canceled games in 2027.

“It would be a real bummer to lose a season, that’s for sure,” Tampa Bay ace Drew Rasmussen said Thursday ahead of the World Series opener against Milwaukee. “I think the industry as a whole is in way too good of a place.”

This year's World Series is the first since 1991 between teams both in the bottom half of payrolls: Milwaukee ranked 19th as of Aug. 31 and Tampa Bay 25th. MLB says a cap is needed to help all teams compete more consistently, but players contend because of the method owners use to define expenses, a cap would lead to management taking a greater share of the sport’s revenue.

“The system that’s being proposed, which is similar to other leagues in terms of revenue-sharing system, not only will help us compete, but more importantly all of the teams with lower payrolls, too, which is something also I think the fans want,” Brewers owner Mark Attanasio said.

MLB’s proposal would cap spending in 2027 at $245.3 million using figures for luxury tax payrolls, and limit a player to 15% of a team's payroll. Free agents would be capped at $265 million over six seasons — far under Juan Soto’s record $765 million, 15-year deal with the New York Mets.

The players' association vows never to accept a cap.

“If they’re going to sit there and wave their little magic wand at us saying they’re going to get a salary cap, it’s not going to happen,” Brewers pitcher Trevor Megill said.

Negotiations for a collective bargaining agreement to replace the five-year deal expiring Dec. 1 could turn into each side trying to outlast the other.

“My thought with it all is keep building on the former generations and build on what they gave us,” said Brewers ace Jacob Misiorowski, who throws the first pitch of the Series on Friday night. “You don’t want to be the generation to send something backwards. You just keep building on what former generations have given you and hope for the best.”

Attanasio said the Brewers ranked 11th in non-player baseball operations spending this year and the Rays were ninth. The owner said about 250 people report to general manager Matt Arnold.

Milwaukee is ranked 30th and last in market size in MLB and could become the first small-market team to win the title since the 2015 Kansas City Royals.

“We have to keep an eye on the present and one eye on the future in every move that we make. Every trade we have to think about that,” Arnold said. “There are tradeoffs for what you can do to help the team today and what that looks like going forward.”

Tampa Bay is the No. 15 MLB market. While the Rays haven't spent lavishly on major league payroll, they were among the bigger spenders on player development this year.

The players' association filed a grievance against the Rays alleging the team didn't meet its obligation under the labor contract to use revenue-sharing proceeds to try to improve its performance on the field. The grievance, covering 2017, '18 and '19, was withdrawn in December.

In a bargaining session Thursday, owners proposed to allow the use of cameras on catchers for broadcasts.

AP Sports Writer Steve Megargee contributed to this report.

See AP’s full MLB coverage here

Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Jacob Misiorowski, tosses a ball during a World Series baseball media day, Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026, in Milwaukee, ahead of Game 1 between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Tampa Bay Rays. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Drew Rasmussen throws during a World Series baseball media day, Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026, in Milwaukee, ahead of Game 1 between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Tampa Bay Rays. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)