Wide receiver Jauan Jennings dropped a bomb on the San Francisco 49ers by issuing an ultimatum that the team give him a raise or else he will demand a trade.
Recent comments by Niners offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak probably did not help matters.
Back in May, Kubiak spoke on San Francisco's plans with Jennings coming into the 2025 season. After having to serve as the top receiver on the depth chart for most of 2024 due to injuries to other wide receivers, Kubiak was asked if Jennings would reprise that role this upcoming season.
Kubiak said in response, "I think, if you ask Jauan, he says 'I'm No. 1,' And that's his mindset and that's why we love Jauan. That's how he sees himself. He sees himself as a dominant player. I think you guys all saw last year when he got more chances, he played really, really well. So really fired up about Jauan."
Now, it is important to note that Kubiak was careful not to say that he views Jennings as the team's top wide receiver going into 2025. If he had done that, then he would have, in essence, been giving Jennings and his camp a ton of leverage because the coordinator would straight-up be saying that he is the best receiver on the team.
Yet, his comments could still give the wide receiver leverage since Kubiak and the team at large are very high on Jennings. He has always been a tenacious blocker who comes up with huge catches on third down, but last season, he proved he can step up and be the top guy if necessary.
The timing with this Jennings contract drama could not be any worse. Training camp is about to begin and the 49ers are already thin on their wide receiver depth chart. There is a chance Brandon Aiyuk could be ready by Week 1 as he recovers from his knee injury, but that seems like a best-case scenario.
The Niners are in a very tough spot now as they are going to have to scramble to figure this situation out. Jennings deserves a raise, but the 49ers probably want to pay him as a WR2 while he thinks he should be paid as a WR1.
Kubiak's comments probably do not help a ton as the 49ers try to keep Jennings at an affordable price so they do not break the bank, like they did with Aiyuk and now-Washington Commanders wideout Deebo Samuel.
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