The San Francisco 49ers have flirted with the Super Bowl and being that close, they’ve made decisions. These decisions might be good or bad, but they bring cap space consequences. It seems like one of those moves might make a key player leave the team in the near future. Brock Purdy might lose a reliable teammate.
Jauan Jennings might be one of the NFL‘s most underrated receivers. In 2024, San Francisco dealt with lots of injuries and Jennings stepped up. He caught 77 passes, racked up 975 yards and scored 6 touchdowns. Jennings always played second fiddle to Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk, but injuries opened up a space for him to shine and he did.
Now, with Samuel going to Washington and Aiyuk still recovering from an ACL injury, Jennings has all the opportunities to keep making a name for himself on a contract year. Grant Cohn, from Sports Illustrated, who has covered the 49ers since 2011, wrote that “the 49ers would love to extend Jennings, but probably feel they can’t afford him after foolishly giving (Brandon) Aiyuk a four-year, $120 million extension last year.“
“Jennings most likely will command at least $15 million per season, which is not an insignificant amount,” Cohn wrote. Now, if Jennings is worth that kind of money or not is another debate, but after last year, it’s hard to think he would settle for less.
Jennings has the potential to become a star
Playing in a Kyle Shanahan‘s offense and showing his talent, Jennings is clearly a big prospect. With his skills and safe hands, he can flourish. His catching percentage was 68.1, a career-high. Jennings also excels at contested catches and uses his 6-foot-3 frame to gain an advantage over defenders.
Losing Jennings would be a big deal for this offense. Aiyuk’s $120 million contract is not looking good at all, Samuel is gone, tight end George Kittle is also tied to a massive contract, and Jennings is just entering his prime. If the 49ers don’t, any other team would gladly give the Tennessee product his money.
Brock Purdy needs help
Saying a $265 million quarterback needs help might sound bad, but it’s also the truth. The reason Brock Purdy has blossomed into a top-tier QB is because of the scheme he plays in and the weapons at his disposal. Don’t get it twisted, Purdy makes the most of what he’s got. It’s just that his scenario allows him to get his stats.
Aiyuk might never recover his level and Kittle is not getting younger. The 49ers Super Bowl window is closing on them, so Purdy would love to have Jennings still on the roster to keep their relevance in the NFC.