The San Francisco 49ers have some problems on their roster heading into the 2025 campaign. For starters, the injury bug that reared its ugly head last year has popped up once again, but they also have a contract dispute with star wide receiver Jauan Jennings that appears set to carry into the new season.
Ahead of training camp, Jennings reportedly told the 49ers that he either wanted to be traded or given a new contract. Neither of those things has happened, and Jennings has missed the majority of camp with a mysterious calf injury. Now, fans think he’s taking a subliminal shot at the Niners in his latest post on social media.
Did Jauan Jennings Just Take a Shot at the 49ers?
https://x.com/OurSf49ers/status/1959286655103205532
The 49ers selected Jennings in the seventh round of the 2020 NFL Draft, and he gradually earned a bigger role on the team’s offense as time went on. Jennings unexpectedly found himself becoming a key piece of San Francisco’s passing attack last season when guys like Brandon Aiyuk and Ricky Pearsall were forced to miss time with injuries.
Jennings responded by putting together the best season of his career, catching 77 passes for 975 yards and six touchdowns in 15 games of work. With Deebo Samuel getting traded to the Washington Commanders this offseason, the Niners made it clear they were going to be relying on Jennings even more in 2025.
The problem is that, after getting a two-year, $15.4 million contract extension last offseason, Jennings already wants a new deal. With several wide receivers set to miss Week 1 for the Niners, Jennings’ absence during training camp has loomed large. While he’s dealing with his aforementioned calf injury, the star pass catcher’s latest post on his Instagram Story indicates that there could be more to the story.
In his post, Jennings shared a lyric from the song “Move On” by popular hip-hop artist Offset. The lyric reads, “You f***ed around with the wrong dude, hope your next n**** be great,” and it didn’t take long for 49ers fans to deduce that this could be aimed at the team’s front office over his desire for a new deal.
What Should the 49ers Do with Jauan Jennings?
San Francisco finds itself in a tough spot with Jennings. It’d be one thing if they were well stocked at wide receiver, but they aren’t. Aiyuk is going to miss the first few weeks of the season as he recovers from a torn ACL and MCL he suffered last season, and DeMarcus Robinson just picked up a three-game suspension for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy.
Now more than ever, the 49ers need Jennings on the field, as their wide receiver depth chart behind Pearsall looks pretty weak. The team did add some help on offense by acquiring running back Brian Robinson Jr. in another trade with the Commanders, but they need targets for quarterback Brock Purdy to throw to in the air. If the front office doesn’t want to give Jennings another deal, they may need to swing a deal for someone at this spot over the next few days.
