Jauan Jennings‘ long-telegraphed exit from the 49ers appears to be complete.
Jennings has agreed to join the Minnesota Vikings on a one-year, $13 million deal, the team announced Thursday.
Jennings, 28, spent the first five years of his career with the Niners and started all 15 games he played last season. The 2020 seventh-round pick out of Tennessee moved from a depth player to a core member of the offense over the last several years, parlaying his “third-and-Jauan” prowess on key plays into a featured role.
The 49ers — and their fans — prized Jennings’ physical blocking and energy throughout his time in the Bay Area, but there was also a contract dispute last offseason that resulted in $3 million in added incentives shortly before the opener.
When the Niners added Mike Evans and Christian Kirk in free agency, it became clear Jennings’ departure was likely. Drafting De’Zhaun Stribling last month all but sealed it.
Jennings had a career-high nine touchdowns in 2025, but only had three catches for 68 yards in the playoffs. He did, however, have his second career playoff touchdown pass — a 29-yarder to Christian McCaffrey on a trick play in the Niners’ wild-card win over the Eagles in Philadelphia. The two had previously connected on a double-pass screen in the 49ers’ Super Bowl LVIII loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, a game in which Jennings also caught a touchdown from Brock Purdy.
His best season with the team overall was 2024 after the departure of Deebo Samuel, when he had 77 catches for 975 yards.