One of the biggest storylines surrounding the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 4 is how their secondary will fare against the San Francisco 49ers offense.
The Niners are dealing with several injuries ahead of the game, and a few of them are at wide receiver. Head coach Kyle Shanahan just said that Brandon Aiyuk is still recovering from the ACL injury he sustained last year, so it will be a while before he can return. Similarly, wide receiver Juan Jennings is dealing with a shoulder injury and is day-to-day.
On the other hand, San Francisco got a huge Ricky Pearsall update ahead of the Week 4 bout.
The Jaguars will likely have to deal with Ricky Pearsall in Week 4
Ricky Pearsall is one of the many 49ers who are dealing with injuries ahead of the Jaguars game. But despite the knee ailment he sustained against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 3, he says he's good to go.
"It's feeling good, Pearsall said via 49ers Webzone. "I actually don't even know when I hurt my knee, to be completely honest. I felt a little bit of soreness after the game, and it wasn't until later on in the night, I was kind of moving around and felt a little soreness; nothing that I was really concerned about."
Pearsall continued, I came in the next day, and was talking to the trainers, and I told them the same thing I'm telling you right now—I'm not really concerned, but I just want to check it out a little bit. And that's kind of what I'm doing with this. It's just a little bit of soreness, and I'm not worried about it. If there was a game today, I'd play."
A first-round pick in 2024, Pearsall had a solid yet unspectacular rookie campaign, hauling in 31 receptions for 400 yards with three touchdowns. But with Brandon Aiyuk and Demarcus Robinson out of the mix, he's quickly become a key cog on the San Francisco offense, catching 16 passes for 281 yards to start his sophomore campaign.
Why the Jaguars need to keep an eye on Ricky Pearsall
The Jaguars secondary has a favorable matchup in Week 4. Although they rank 16th in passing yards allowed and 18th in passing touchdowns allowed, their defensive backfield has come through the past three games. Jacksonville has registered an NFL-best seven interceptions, and its nine takeaways led the league.
Sure, Tyson Campbell has given up a few key plays but has also delivered more often than not. On the other hand, Jourdan Lewis is getting league-wide recognition for his impact, while Travis Hunter is quickly making huge strides on defense.
It's fair to say that the trio should be able to hold its own against Ricky Pearsall and Denarious Robinson, who returned from a suspension he served to start the season.
Despite the injuries, the 49ers present a tough challenge for the Jaguars
The 49ers' injury report reads like a list that would make nurses faint. Starting quarterback Brock Purdy and backup Mac Jones are dealing with injuries, so the Jaguars are preparing for both. On top of that, San Francisco just placed Pro Bowl pass rusher Nick Bosa on season-ending injury reserve after Week 3.
But despite all the injuries San Francisco is dealing with, they're 3-0. And that's the thing. Good teams find a way to win, and as long as Kyle Shanahan is the coach, they'll have a chance. Couple that with the fact that the Jaguars will need to make a five-hour trip to the West Coast, and this will be a tough challenge, one that could set the tone for the remainder of the season.