49ers’ Jauan Jennings Called Out After Reported Contract Demand Fails

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San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jauan Jennings.

The San Francisco 49ers received a much-needed boost on September 1 when Jauan Jennings returned to action at the open portion of practice, with reporters sharing photos and videos of the wideout on the field, per Pro Football Talk .

He’s been out for an extended stretch with a calf injury. Nonetheless, his future had been uncertain amid his desire for a new contract, leading to a trade request. On July 14, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported , citing sources, that Jennings wanted a new contract or a trade as he’s set to make $7.5 million in the final year of his deal.

Setting aside the calf injury, SI’s Grant Cohn criticized Jennings for his unsuccessful push for a new contract or a trade away from the Bay Area.

“If he just held out for all the training camp and got nothing and just returned like nothing happened, that would be really, really embarrassing,” Cohn said in a video reaction outside 49ers practice. “It’s like, give Brandon Aiyuk some credit.

“At least that dude knew exactly what he was worth, stuck to his guns, and got what he wanted. Jauan Jennings, he reportedly was asking for $25 million a year, stuck to his guns for a month, and then came back like he was just on vacation.”

How Much Was Jauan Jennings Reportedly Asking For?

Jennings could have missed training camp and the preseason because of a calf injury, but reports indicate he wanted a new contract. However, the reported salary demand to the 49ers appeared to be too rich for the organization, as the SF Standard’s Tim Kawakami recently revealed.

“What you hear, not from the camp, but from NFL circles, is that it’s high,” Kawakami said on 95.7 The Game’s “Willard and Dibs” on August 28. “It’s above [$20 million per year], is what I’ve heard and maybe a lot above [$20 million] a year, to put him in the top 20 or so of receivers, in that realm. 49ers have done it before with Brandon Aiyuk, so there is precedent for lifting a guy way up in the higher ranks of the receivers.

“What I’ve heard from the 49ers’ side is they don’t want to do anything. They are negotiating. I think there have been numbers exchanged but they just redid his deal last year and that’s before he got 977 yards receiving. That was before he was [the] first receiver, basically, last year when Aiyuk got hurt. That’s before a lot of other things happened.”

49ers’ John Lynch Had No Desire to Trade Jauan Jennings

Despite his request, the 49ers stood firm, and Jennings now looks set to start the season. In an August 27 article, ESPN’s Nick Wagoner reported that general manager John Lynch said Jennings requested a trade “a while ago,” but San Francisco declined and have no plans to grant it.

“He asked for it and we’ve moved on,” Lynch said. “We’re not doing that. So, we’re moving forward.”

With all the mystery surrounding Jennings, the 49ers can now move on, relying on him to start the 2025 season strong.

Eduardo Razo Eduardo Razo is a sports journalist covering the NFL for Heavy.com. He previously covered the league for NBC Sports Washington and NBC Sports Bay Area & California, and has contributed as a freelance writer for The Sporting News. He also served as an editor for Athlon Sports and Heavy Sports focusing on MLB and the NFL. More about Eduardo Razo