Getty San Francisco 49ers WR Jauan Jennings
On May 29, the San Francisco 49ers locked up a key piece of their wide receiver room for an additional two years. While Brandon Aiyuk’s future remains murky, it is clear that San Francisco believes in what Jauan Jennings brings to the table.
According to ESPN reporter Adam Schefter, Jennings’ new extension is essentially a rework of his tender for the 2024 season.
“Restricted free-agent WR Jauan Jennings is signing a two-year deal with the 49ers worth up to $15.4 million, including $10.5 million guaranteed,” Schefter wrote on X. “The deal was negotiated and confirmed by agents Drew and Jason Rosenhaus. Jennings did not sign his free-agent tender and instead did this deal, which is akin to a one-year extension.”
It doesn’t come as a surprise that Jennings is committing his future to the 49ers. After joining San Francisco as a seventh-round pick in the 2021 NFL draft, Jennings has been playing on less than $1 million per year.
This offseason, he did not get to test free agency because the 49ers tagged him as a restricted free agent. That tender was going to pay him $4.89 million, according to Spotrac, but now Jennings is set to make a good bit more.
Jauan Jennings Becomes Super Bowl Hero
It’s important not to downplay Jennings’ journey to this contract. While he has taken the backseat to Deebo Samuel and Aiyuk over the past few years, he has carved out a significant role.
After being a surprise red zone threat with 5 touchdowns in 2021, Jennings then put together a 416-yard season in 2022. And before the playoffs, his 2023 season actually featured regression in terms of production.
Jennings caught only 19 passes for 265 yards and 1 touchdown. But once the postseason rolled around, the former Tennessee Volunteer showed up in a big way. In the 24-21 NFC divisional round win over the Green Bay Packers, Jennings caught 5 passes for 61 yards.
But his performance in the Super Bowl will be talked about by fans for years. Not only did Jennings catch 4 passes for 42 yards and a touchdown, he also threw one to Christian McCaffrey for the first touchdown of the game.
New 49ers WR Addresses Critics
While Jennings is a veteran who’s sticking around, Ricky Pearsall is the new blood with something to prove. Pearsall was the 49ers’ No. 31 pick in the 2024 NFL draft, surprising some fans and observers.
But from Pearsall’s perspective, being called a “reach” isn’t a bad thing. In fact, he told Sports Illustrated’s Gilberto Manzano that it is only helping him.
“That definitely made me feel good because there were a lot of people questioning the pick,” Pearsall said. “But that’s OK. That’s some noise I gotta block out because at the end of the day, I couldn’t care less of what anybody thinks of me— and that’s my personality and that’s how I walk around. You either like me or you don’t. But I’m going to be myself no matter what.”
49ers fans ought to be excited by that response. But as always, Pearsall will have to prove it on the field before critics change their minds.