According to Jeff Kerr of CBS Sports on Thursday, San Francisco 49ers wide receiver and kick returner Ray-Ray McCloud of Tampa, Florida is expected to miss the first month of the 2023 National Football League regular season with a broken wrist. He suffered the injury during a training camp practice this past week, and surgery will be required.
McCloud joined the 49ers on March 22, 2022. In 17 games, he had 14 catches for 243 receiving yards and one touchdown. McCloud also had 33 punt returns for 356 yards and 26 kickoff returns for 599 yards. McCloud’s touchdown catch came in a 44-23 49ers loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. He had an eight yard catch from 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo in the first quarter.
Over the years, McCloud has been very dangerous as a kick returner. He has returned 114 punts for 1123 yards and 98 kickoff returns for 2213 yards. While with the Pittsburgh Steelers during the 2021 NFL season, McCloud led the NFL with 38 punt returns and 367 punt return yards. He was with the Steelers in 2020 and 2021. Before that McCloud spent one season each with the Buffalo Bills (2018), and Carolina Panthers (2019).
The 49ers won the NFC West last year with a record of 13 wins and four losses. However, they were known more their defense than their offense, as they only gave up 277 points. That was the least number of points in the entire NFL. In the postseason, the 49ers beat the Seattle Seahawks 41-23 in the NFC Wildcard and the Dallas Cowboys 19-12 in the NFC Divisional Round, before losing 31-7 to the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship.
