Rookie wide receiver Ricky Pearsall is eligible to begin practicing this week, but the San Francisco 49ers have yet to finalize a plan for his return. Pearsall is recovering from a gunshot wound to the chest sustained during a robbery attempt in San Francisco on August 31.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan spoke to reporters via a conference call on Monday. When asked about the team's approach for Pearsall, he responded, "We haven't decided yet. We're going to need to think about it here today and tomorrow. But no, we haven't decided that yet."
Shanahan was asked about the specifics regarding Pearsall's potential workload as he looks to make his NFL debut. The rookie, currently on the non-football injury (NFI) list, missed much of training camp and the preseason due to a shoulder injury. Does that mean he'll need extra time to work his way back once his practice window opens?
"We'll see when he gets back to practice, and we'll judge by that," Shanahan said. "But yeah, I really don't make any judgments until I see guys go through the practice week.
"I get excited when guys come off [injury lists], whenever they do, just to get them back into practice. And that's really the first time you see them do any football stuff, and you kind of make that decision as the week goes."
The 49ers selected Pearsall, a former Florida Gator, with the 31st overall pick in this year's draft.