The 49ers need someone to replace Ray Ray McCloud as the starting punt returner. Rookie wide receiver Ricky Pearsall is a prime candidate. The 49ers drafted him in Round 1 but he won't play much on offense this year.
McCloud fumbled a punt in the Super Bowl because he tried to scoop it up and run with it rather than fall on it. Of course, the ball bounced off his hands and the Chiefs recovered deep in 49ers territory and a month later the 49ers let McCloud sign with the Falcons. See ya.is a prime candidate. The 49ers drafted him in Round 1 but he won't play much on offense this year because the 49ers still have Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel and Jauan Jennings. So Pearsall has to do something.
Last season at Florida, Pearsall returned 11 punts for 126 yards, which means he averaged 11.5 yards per punt return. That's a first down every time he returns a punt. That's terrific. The 49ers also could ask fellow rookie wide receiver Jacob Cowing to return punts considering he's faster than Pearsall. But last season, Cowing averaged just 5.9 per punt return, which is beyond awful. He doesn't seem to have the knack to return punts.
I'm guessing the 49ers will go with Pearsall mostly because he's sure-handed. Remember, McCloud is off the team because he muffed a punt in the Super Bowl. Pearsall has extremely strong hands. So if nothing else, he should be able to catch the ball and hang onto it.Grant Cohn has covered the San Francisco 49ers daily since 2011.
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