San Francisco 49ers
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Jauan Jennings is a free agent.
T
he offseason has been a very busy one for the San Francisco 49ers. Coming off of a 12-5 season and a return to the playoffs after a one season absence, the 49ers saw their season come to a crashing halt when they fell to the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Divisional Playoff round. But despite the 49ers triumphs throughout the ’25 season, they never established themselves as a true threat to win the Super Bowl, dealing with several injuries that kept them from reaching their full potential.
And in 2026, the 49ers want to maximize on their opportunities and go all-in on returning to being Super Bowl contenders. The team had several voids to fill at multiple positions and with free agency over, and the draft approaching, the 49ers did a good job of revamping their squad despite still needing help at other positions. One position that the 49ers made sure to address was wide receiver, adding Mike Evans and Christian Kirk to provide established veterans for the young receiver room. But in signing Evans and Kirk, that could mean the official end to the Jauan Jennings era in San Francisco– with general manager John Lynch seemingly confirming that notion during the NFL meetings in Phoenix early this week.
Is the Jennings Era Over?
Jennings played well during his time with the 49ers, putting together a career year in 2024 that suggested that he has what it takes to be a No. 1 receiver option. But wanting a large contract yet never eclipsing the 1,000 yard mark or earning any accolades, the cost to bring back Jennings is too much for the 49ers, who instead opted to fill the void with players from outside the organization. Now, even though Jennings remains unsigned, he may no longer have a role on the 49ers– leaving several questions about where he ends up next.
“Mike and Christian, we’re excited about,” Lynch said. “Those [wide receiver] rooms are always interesting ones. There’s a lot of dynamics. I think to have two grown men, I think, is really exciting. I think Hank’s (receiver coach Leonard Hankerson) looking forward to it. I think we’re all looking forward to it. That is not to disparage anyone we’ve had, but I think any time you can add players to your team, in general, but especially at that position—those guys play the game the right way.”
If Jennings cannot find a team that is willing to pay him the money he wants, he theoretically could return to the 49ers on a shorter term, prove it deal. But if his return means that he will be further down on the depth chart, Jennings may opt to keep exploring his options instead.
Jennings’ Career Thus Far
A seventh round draft pick in 2020, it took Jennings a little while to finally earn the opportunity to showcase what he can do. A practice squad player during his rookie year, Jennings did not take a snap for the 49ers in 2020. In 2021, Jennings finally earned playing time and established himself as the No. 3 receiver by the end of the year, catching 24 passes for 282 yards and five touchdowns in 17 games. After two more seasons as depth player in ’22 and ’23, Jennings stepped up in 2024– especially after Brandon Aiyuk got hurt. In 15 games in the ’24 campaign, Jennings caught 77 passes for 975 yards (a career high) and six touchdowns.
In 2025, Jennings finished as the 49ers’ leading receiver, catching 55 passes for 643 yards and a career high of nine touchdowns.