After some weeks of speculation, the 49ers have finally made the move to bring back wide receiver Jauan Jennings.
While Jennings could still technically leave the organization, the 49ers have tendered him and any interested team will have to pay a heavy price to land him.
NBC Sports reporter Matt Maiocco was the first to report that San Francisco are planning to bring Jennings back via the second-round tag.
“The #49ers have tendered restricted free agent WR Jauan Jennings at the second-round level,” Maiocco wrote on X on March 11.
“Jauan Jennings is set to make $4.89 million on the tender for the 2024 season. The sides can continue to negotiate a multi-year extension. Any team that signs him to an offer sheet that the 49ers decide not to match must part ways with a second-round draft pick.”
For Jennings, that is a significant pay increase compared to his salary from the past two years. During 2022 and 2023, Jennings earned a combined salary of $1.6 million. Now, he’s tripling that amount in a single season in 2024.
Whether or not this is a sign of things to come with Brandon Aiyuk or Deebo Samuel remains to be seen. But now, the 49ers have set themselves to bring back Jennings or at least acquire a second-round pick.
Over the past three seasons, Jennings has played a supporting role. He has just 7 starts to his name since joining the 49ers in the 7th round of the 2021 NFL draft. But against the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2024 Super Bowl, Jennings became the star of San Francisco.
First and foremost, Jennings caught four passes for 42 yards and a touchdown. But in a wild trick play, the receiver also threw a touchdown to RB Christian McCaffrey. After scoring just one touchdown all season, he had scored twice in the biggest game of his career.
With a pay increase, it’s not sure whether or not his role in Kyle Shanahan’s offense will expand. That likely hinges on if the 49ers end up parting ways with Samuel or Aiyuk. But as things stand, they’ve sent a message that they value their No. 3 receiver highly.
Back on February 27, 49ers general manager John Lynch actually foreshadowed Jennings’ tender. At that point, it was not clear if San Francisco would bring the receiver back but Lynch did mention tendering him.
“Jauan is really important to what we do,” Lynch said, according to the San Francisco Chronicle’s David Bonilla.
“I think he continues to show that. If the tender is the vehicle to keep him around for another year.. I think we’re also interested in extending him out. There may be an opportunity to do that. We’ll just have to see where that goes and if we can come to an agreement there.”
Based on that quote, it seems as if a full extension could not be agreed upon. That being said, the 49ers could still extend Jennings once the tender runs it course.
