The San Francisco 49ers are looking to get through camp as healthy as they can, but they have already hit a hurdle. Wide receiver was already a position of need, but it became more obvious with the update on receiver Ricky Pearsall.
Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area reported that Pearsall was out of Wednesday's practice due to swelling in his knee, and the team is saying it's related to the same PCL injury he dealt with last year.
There's concern from San Francisco, and “all options” are on the table, per ESPN's Nick Wagoner. That's a gut punch, especially since Christian Kirk strained his calf in his first practice, but with another receiver going down, the 49ers should sign free agent Stefon Diggs.
49ers should consider signing Stefon Diggs after Ricky Pearsall injury update
Earlier this summer, Diggs said on his YouTube channel that he's better than most WR2s in the league. And when you look at what he did last season for the New England Patriots, he showed he can still make plays in this league.
Across 17 games in 2025, Diggs had 85 catches for 1,013 receiving yards and four touchdowns. He did this while being New England's WR1 and one year after tearing his ACL. Over 11 NFL seasons, Diggs has tallied 942 receptions, 11,504 receiving yards, and 74 touchdowns.
He has seven 1,000-yard seasons in his career and is still on the free-agent market. While he may not be a long-term investment, Diggs could be a solid one-year stopgap.
They already have Mike Evans, age 32, so signing Diggs, age 32, wouldn't be ideal, since both guys are in their early 30s. At the same time, the 49ers aren't in the position to pass on productive players at receiver.
As the depth chart currently stands, Evans, De'Zhaun Stribling, and Demarcus Robinson would likely be the top three receivers. Jacob Cowing, Jordan Watkins, Malik Turner, Wesley Grimes, Junior Bergen, and Colton Dowell are the other receivers fighting for a roster spot.
There's a clear pathway for Diggs to get signed and carve out a role for himself. The 49ers are without tight end George Kittle (Achilles) to start the summer, so there's an even bigger emphasis on the receiver room.
It hasn't been a week, and the Niners are dealing with several injuries in the receiver room. Adding Diggs would give this team relief at a position of need. They don't need to sign him long-term, but he could provide this roster with a veteran receiver who can line up all across the formation.
This Pearsall injury news sucks, yet it only makes the case to add Diggs that much stronger.
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