49ers have concern about Ricky Pearsall’s knee swelling; Jordan James and Malik Mustapha also have injuries

SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - JULY 27: Ricky Pearsall #1 of the San Francisco 49ers works out during training camp practice at SAP Performance Facility on July 27, 2026 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The San Francisco 49ers return to practice Wednesday, but they'll be without a trio of players they expect to be key contributors this season.

The big one is Ricky Pearsall, who has a knee issue related to last year's PCL injury that sidelined him. According to the beat writers on hand, the 49ers have concerns about Pearsall's condition, since this is the knee that plagued him in 2025. The 49ers are not ruling out surgery, as all options are being explored to improve his condition and get Pearsall back onto the field.

Running back Jordan James went from RB2, and on Monday he lost that role to rookie Kaelon Black. There was speculation that it was due to James being injured. On Wednesday, it was announced that James has fractured ribs.

That's brutal, as the Niners are going to need three running backs this season. Christian McCaffrey is the player the team will look to give relief after a heavy workload last season, but that can't happen if there isn't anybody reliable behind CMC. We'll see how long this injury keeps James sidelined.

Safety Malik Mustapha has a hamstring strain. Like James, this injury occurred during Monday's practice. Safety might be the position where the 49ers are thinnest. Mustapha is battling to start with Ji'Ayir Brown and Marques Sigle. He'll slip on the depth chart if he isn't available. Let's hope Mustapha can return within a week or so.

Rookie Romello Height was on hand for practice after leaving Monday's session with cramps. Height switched his number from 94 to 58.