Jauan Jennings Risks Legacy With 49ers as Injury Excuse Sparks Fury

Former Tennessee Vols wide receiver Jauan Jennings has always been a fan favorite on every team he's been on.

But that may be changing heading into the 2025 season due to Jennings' current contract situation with the San Francisco 49ers.

Jennings hasn't practiced or played in any preseason games over the last several weeks while he's reportedly nursing a calf injury.

Injuries are what they are, so if the former Vol isn't healthy, it's understandable why h e hasn't been practicing. Not everyone, however, is convinced that Jennings' absence in recent weeks is because of his calf injury.

Jennings wants a new contract. He's entering the final season of the two-year extension he signed last year. With the start of the season just around corner, fans and media are starting to wonder if Jennings is using his injury as leverage in his contract negotiations with the 49ers.

"Jauan Jennings has not practiced or played in weeks now," said KNBR's Adam Copes this week. "He hasn't been in any of the preseason games. The season's here. We know he wants a new contract. We know the 49ers have had little to no traction gained in these contract negotiations. And we also know that they're of the mindset of you (Jennings) did this (held out) last year. I know it seemed kind of quiet because he signed, but he did this last season where he somewhat held out a bit before he got the two-year deal, while Brandon Aiyuk was holding out.

"There's no faster way to turn a fan base against you than to make a demand for money that, by the way, if the 49ers have their druthers -- if it's the best case scenario for them -- they view him as their third guy. He's their No. 3 if and when he's healthy and when he's on the field."

"When Aiyuk's there, it's Aiyuk, it's (Ricky) Pearsall, and then it's Jauan Jennings," continued Copes. "And who knows with DeMarcus Robinson where they see him slotting in. [Jennings] had 19 grabs two years ago. He had the year he had last year out of necessity. I'm all for a player getting what he needs to get. That said, he's holding the Niners' feet to the fire here in a situation where it feels like bad faith to me in the way he's gone about this. If you're faking the injury, or you do have an injury and it's a tweak, but you're still refusing to play, and we've made no gain on a contract negotiation, it gets me wondering how much is he asking for? How unreasonable is what he's asking for? Because now I'm starting to ask the question, the Niners need him out there, they're desperate. They're so desperate that they acquired Skyy Moore. You know what I mean? That's that's not a move you just go make. That was out of desperation."