San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jauan Jennings returned to practice Monday after missing the preseason with a calf injury. Two days later, he agreed to an adjusted contract with the team that could pay him as much as $10.5 million this season, according to multiple reports.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Wednesday that the 49ers will add $3 million in play-time incentives to Jennings’ deal, allowing him to earn significantly more than the $7.5 million he was originally set to make.
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Negotiations between Jennings and the 49ers picked up once the fifth-year wideout started recovering from his injury, per Schefter, who also reported that Jennings turned down a multi-year deal.
The 2020 seventh-round pick is set to become a free agent after this season.
Jennings had been pushing for a new contract this summer, and 49ers general manager John Lynch even confirmed last week that, at some point, Jennings requested a trade.
“He asked for it, and we’ve moved on,” Lynch said on Aug. 27, via The Athletic. “We’re not doing that, so we’re moving forward.”
Jennings broke out in 2024. He likely would have hit the 1,000-yard receiving mark had he not been ejected for fighting in the regular-season finale against the Arizona Cardinals. Jennings led all San Francisco wide receivers last season with 77 receptions, 975 receiving yards and 6 receiving touchdowns.
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The Tennessee product stepped up as the 49ers’ top wideout when Brandon Aiyuk suffered both a torn ACL and MCL. Previously, Jennings’ single-season high in receiving yards was 416 in 2022.
He’s particularly known for his reliable hands on third down and his run blocking chops.
With Aiyuk still making his way back to the field, Jennings and second-year wideout Ricky Pearsall are in line to start at the position in Week 1.
They’re joined by newcomers Skyy Moore and Marquez Valdes-Scantling, who Lynch recently added to the roster. San Francisco notably no longer has do-it-all playmaker Deebo Samuel in the receiver room. The 49ers honored Samuel’s trade request this offseason and sent him to the Washington Commanders.
Jennings, though, stayed put. And now he has a chance to make some more money this season.
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