The San Francisco 49ers are hoping to bounce back after going 6-11 and missing the NFL playoffs last season. However, as was the case throughout last year, they're banged up.
Perhaps the injury bug hasn't hit them as hard so far this year as it did during training camp and the preseason in 2024. But they're thin right now at the skill positions on offense.
Wide receiver Jauan Jennings has been limited in practice lately due to a calf issue, and fellow wideout Brandon Aiyuk will miss at least the first few weeks of this season after the major knee injury he sustained last October. On Thursday, a new ailment popped up in the form of a calf problem for Christian McCaffrey.
The 49ers will open their regular-season schedule on Sunday versus the Seattle Seahawks on the road. Head coach Kyle Shanahan didn't sound too concerned about Jennings' availability for that contest.
"He looked good on Monday, getting back into it," Shanahan said, per 49ers Webzone. "Having all that time off, we've gotta ease him in and stuff, so we'll see how this week goes. That's why he'll be limited today, but he's healthy enough to play football, and hopefully, that continues."
This hasn't been a good summer for Jennings. He sat out most of training camp with that ailment, and he also demanded a lucrative contract extension, as 2025 is the final year of his current contract.
The team did offer him a multi-year deal, but he turned it down in favor of some added incentives for this season. He will still become a free agent in March 2026.
Read more: 49ers' Brock Purdy Predicted to Land Major End-of-Season Award
Jennings, who is entering his fifth season in the NFL, was used sparingly as a pass-catcher in his first three years. But in 2024, he was thrust into a bigger role, and he responded with 77 receptions, 975 yards and six touchdowns.
With the Niners' wide receivers, as well as McCaffrey, in rough shape, the player formerly known as "Third and Jauan" to their fans will need to not only stay healthy enough but step things up this year to get them back into the playoffs. If he does so, perhaps the Red and Gold can make a deep playoff run and resume their quest for their sixth Super Bowl championship.
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