49ers injury report: DL Justin Smith sits out practice with back issue

The presence of Christian McCaffrey automatically makes the San Francisco 49ers running back room among the best in the NFL. The team also has Elijah Mitchell, Jordan Mason, and Patrick Taylor. There is a common theme within the group—speed. McCaffrey ran the 40-yard dash in 4.48 seconds at the NFL Scouting Combine in 2017. Mitchell boasted blazing speed at his local pro day in 2021, estimated to be in the range of 4.32 to 4.38 seconds. Taylor ran a 4.57 time but did so following an earlier Lisfranc injury. On Saturday, the 49ers added another speedy option to the running back room, drafting

While many were surprised to hear wide receiver Ricky Pearsall's name called during the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, NFL.com's deputy editor, Gennaro Filice, wasn't among them. Filice handed out his draft grades for the NFC West, and while the San Francisco 49ers earned the lowest marks of the group, it was still a respectable "B-" mark. "The first-round selection of Ricky Pearsall took many by surprise, but not this keyboard jockey!" Filice wrote. "I had the Florida wideout coming off the board in Round 1 in my final

Mike Sando of The Athletic frequently taps into the insights of NFL executives across the league to gather intel and opinions on NFL developments, the latest being the 2024 NFL Draft. In his recent discussions with NFL executives about the San Francisco 49ers, the spotlight was on the wide receiver position. One unnamed NFL executive praised the 49ers' choice of wide receiver Ricky Pearsall with the No. 31 overall pick. "We loved that receiver," the executive told Sando. "The first round is probably a little high for him, but if they want the fifth-year option with him, fine." That's an interesting perspective that has yet to receive much attention regarding Pearsall's selection. First-round picks come with a team option for a fifth year, which

It's not uncommon for a player to be frustrated with his lack of playing time. The San Francisco 49ers have their share of players who complained, usually after leaving the team, about how they were underused or weren't given the opportunities to showcase their skills. You can add former 49ers wide receiver Willie Snead IV to that list. On Friday, Snead shared his frustration on social media, writing, "All I want is to go back to a team that isn't afraid to let guys compete for a roster spot. These last 3 years been nothing short of entitlement…Competition breedz Champions." It's unclear what Snead was referring to when he said the past three years were "nothing short of entitlement."