49ers camp: Top 10 observations at practice as Pearsall impresses

SANTA CLARA – Ricky Pearsall is quickly making a strong first impression in his first 49ers training camp, even if a hamstring injury delayed his arrival by nearly a week.

There he is making a one-handed catch on the sideline of a deflected pass and keeping his feet inbounds, with linebacker Dee Winters draped on him. “Gotta stay with it,” Pearsall says.

There’s him hustling on downfield blocks – far away from the ball — on both run and pass plays. “It’s been cool to watch him in the run game. He definitely understands our standards,” coach Kyle Shanahan said. “It’s not someone we have to call on and say we need more. He gets it.”

Even cornerback Isaac Yiadom admits he is a “big fan” of Pearsall. “I don’t like to compliment rookies too much, but I like his game,” Yiadom said. “He’s got some confidence in him, too. He’s got some dog in him. He knows it and I just hope that he continues to work.”

A bigger challenge comes Saturday when Pearsall will enter one-on-one drills with cornerbacks for the first time this camp, having missed the first week because of a hamstring strain.

Spring’s non-contact workouts saw Pearsall develop instant chemistry with Brock Purdy, and that bond is enhanced with banter on and off the field. “His locker is right next to mine, so I get to talk to him each and every day, just going up to him and having a normal conversation, what can I get better at?” Pearsall said. “Once you start seeing it through a quarterback’s lens, it becomes that much easier for a receiver.”

Pearsall acknowledged that Shanahan’s offense comes with a demanding learning curve, but that he’s made breakthroughs after spring’s initiation. And when it comes to tutors, he’s leaned from not just Deebo Samuel (an offseason training partner in Arizona), but also Brandon Aiyuk, a freshman teammate at Arizona State who is at camp but not practicing amid a contract dispute.

AIYUK UPDATE

Some 48 hours after Aiyuk walked onto the practice field and happily greeted Shanahan and general manager John Lynch, no new deal had been announced with Aiyuk, who again watched Friday’s practice from afar in a cart. What was the deal with the public display of affection Wednesday? Said Shanahan: “That’s usually how we greet each other. Honestly. … Bro hug, nothing more.” The coach had no further updates on Aiyuk’s contract impasse nor that of left tackle Trent Williams, who’s been a no-show since camp started.

PURDY’S PICKS

Purdy went a second straight practice without a pass getting intercepted, after seven were picked over back-to-back days earlier in the week. “Brock’s never really had an interception problem,” Shanahan said. “He’s protected the ball pretty well in this league for his two years. He also isn’t scared to let it rip, too.” Purdy’s thrown 15 interceptions in 614 regular-season passes (2.4%), and just one in 171 playoff throws, with that one coming in January’s NFC Championship Game win over Detroit.

YIADOM’S ARRIVAL

Yiadom, a seventh-year pro on his sixth team, looks to have established himself as the No. 3 cornerback behind starters Charvarius Ward and Deommodore Lenoir, the latter of whom slides inside as the nickel back when Yiadom enters.

“It’s a winning team. It’s a great franchise. You don’t decline an offer to play for a team like this,” Yiadom said of his free agency move from the New Orleans Saints. “I know they have such a great defense. To come in here and play a main role with these players, Bosa, Fred, those type of guys, I couldn’t pass that up.”

HEALTH CENTER

Left guard Aaron Banks (back spasms) and wide receiver Jauan Jennings (ankle) worked on the side and are expected back soon to team drills. … Right guard Spencer Burford will not undergo surgery on his fractured right hand and will miss a few weeks, Shanahan said. … Tight end Logan Thomas (hamstring) did not practice Friday. … Offensive lineman Jon Feliciano (knee) took part in his first team drills, including time at center. … Defensive end Nick Bosa and running back Christian McCaffrey did not practice as part of their load management.

CENTER ADDED, HURT

Veteran center Pat Elfein hobbled off with a right-calf injury mere minutes into his first 49ers practice, after signing a one-year deal to compete for a backup role behind Jake Brendel. The 49ers have auditioned several centers over the first week of practices: Ben Bartch, Drake Nugent, Nick Zakelj and, upon his return Friday, Jon Feliciano. Briason Mays was waived in a corresponding roster move.

Elflein won the Rimington Trophy and was a finalist for the Outland Trophy in 2016 at Ohio State, when Nick Bosa was a freshman teammate. Elfein, 30, was a 2017 third-round pick by the Vikings. He went on to also play for the New York Jets (2020), Carolina Panthers (2021–2022) and the Arizona Cardinals (2023).

PRAISE FOR PUNI

Rookie Dominick Puni practiced as the first-string right guard for a sixth consecutive practice. “You can tell he’s made of the right stuff and he has what it takes. Hopefully he’ll continue to progress,” Shanahan said of the third-round pick out of Kansas.

LATU’S GAFFE

Tight end Cam Latu made a catch in team drills for a third straight practice, only this time, he fumbled the ball on the offense’s final snap of practice. Linebacker Tatum Bethune appeared to force it and safety Tayler Hawkins recovered for a would-be touchdown return. Earlier in practice, Latu struggled to shed Yiadom’s stiff-arm on a run play.

MOODY MISSES

Jake Moody’s near-perfect camp includes just two missed field-goal attempts, the second one coming on a 50-yard-ish attempt to close Friday’s practice.

OTHER OBSERVATIONS

General manager John Lynch watched practice, and did so in part next to Mike Shanahan, rather than travel Friday with Frank Gore to the Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinement of Patrick Willis and others on Saturday. … Ambry Thomas broke up a deep pass Josh Dobbs intended for Danny Gray. … Defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos lined up on the first-string in place of Bosa, showed great pursuit to force a Purdy throw-away, and broke down the team huddle to end practice. … Deebo Samuel followed an end-around run by getting open deep but Purdy overthrew him in the end zone. Samuel also returned a kickoff and found an open crease.