Tag: jauan jennings

Kyle Shanahan’s concerning answer on how 49ers would handle WR without Brandon Aiyuk

Kyle Shanahan’s glimpse at what the 49ers WR corps looks like without Brandon Aiyuk is …rough.

It looks like the San Francisco 49ers are making some progress in retaining All-Pro wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk.

The two sides are near a deal according to multiple reports, with just one key factor holding up a long-term contract for Aiyuk in San Francisco. Given how this rollercoaster has gone, it’s impossible to rule out the negotiations bleeding into Week 1 of the regular season.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan was on KNBR Wednesday and addressed how the team would handle the WR corps if Aiyuk doesn’t suit up for the season opener. He indicated Jauan Jennings was the most likely option to be the No. 2 receiver alongside WR Deebo Samuel. The rest of his answer underscored why the team needs to make sure Aiyuk is in uniform Week 1.

“Chris Conley’s had a hell of a camp,” Shanahan said. “He came on strong for us last year. Did a hell of a job for last year and made a number of plays going into the playoffs, in the playoffs and in the Super Bowl. He’s been on a lot of teams, too, where he’s done it for awhile. Then we’ve got these rookies who are all pushing, that I know will be there eventually, but they’re a little behind the eight ball with their injuries. But they’re guys we believe in, guys who are made of the right stuff.”

He also mentioned players like Ronnie Bell and Danny Gray. Both players are battling for a job on the back end of the roster. He also mentioned other veterans the 49ers have brought in.

Let’s put this in a little different perspective. This is what the receiving corps looks like Week 1 without Aiyuk:

Deebo Samuel
Jauan Jennings
Chris Conley
Ricky Pearsall
Jacob Cowing
Ronnie Bell/Danny Gray/Robbie Chosen

Samuel is an elite playmaker and a bonafide star.

Jennings has been great as a No. 3, and he’s been able to step up as a No. 2 at times in his career.

Conley has been good with the 49ers. Relying on him to be WR3 is probably asking too much.

Pearsall won’t play at all in the preseason and missed a ton of practice time with hamstring and shoulder injuries. Cowing shined in his preseason debut, but he’s also still getting in the swing of the offense after missing a prolonged period with a hamstring injury.

That final trio is more likely to contribute on special teams than in the passing game. Gray didn’t play at all last year. Chosen and Bell combined for 10 catches in 26 games.

Shanahan is a good enough offensive coach with enough weapons to potentially cobble together enough to win any game. However, that receiving corps would make life much easier for what figures to be a terrific New York Jets defense. Just because the 49ers might be able to make it work doesn’t mean they should.

Their receiving corps, and their chances to win Week 1, look much better when it’s Aiyuk and Samuel atop the depth chart. The 49ers need to do everything they can to push the deal with Aiyuk over the finish line in time for the season opener on Monday Night Football.

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15 days until it is football time in Tennessee

Countdown to the season: 15 days until it is football time in Tennessee

Tennessee will kick off its 2024 football season in 15 days.

The Vols will open its upcoming campaign on Aug. 31 against Chattanooga at Neyland Stadium. Kickoff is slated for 12:45 p.m. EDT and SEC Network will televise the contest.

2024 will be the fourth season for Tennessee under head coach Josh Heupel. In his first three seasons, Heupel is 27-12 and guided the Vols to three bowl games.

The Vols finished 9-4 (4-4 SEC) last season.

With 15 days remaining until the start of the 2024 football season, Vols Wire looks at Tennessee student-athletes who wore No. 15.

All time players to wear No. 15 at Tennessee:

Edwin Cheek Duncan (1937-38)

James Aurerlia  (1939-41)

Albert Sabato (1942)

Jimmy Doerr (1944)

Hubert Becker (1946-47)

Charles Dowdy (1948)

Joe Yost (1949)

Sam Rutigliano (1951-52)

Bill Spoone (1953)

Edric Owen (1955)

Bill Anderson (1956-57)

Bobby Moore (1958)

Mike Simmons (1959)

Jerry Ensley (1960-62)

Billy Tomlinson (1963)

Skip Edwards (1964-66)

John Rippetoe (1967-69)

Bob Bowers (1972-73)

Eddy Powers (1974-77)

Mike Terry (1979)

Alvin Jones (1981)

Tim Norton (1983)

Jack Sells (1984)

Kent Elmore (1986-87)

Carl Pickens (1981-91)

Lance Wheaton (1992-94)

Tim Sewell (1995-1998)

A.J. Suggs (1999-2000)

Kelley Washington (2001-02)

Turk McBride (2004)

Jim Bob Cooter (2004-06)

Sinclair Cannon (2005-07)

E.J. Adams-Ward (2008)

Mike Fromke (2010)

Janzen Jackson (2009-10)

Tyrin Fairman (2011-12)

Marlin Lane Jr. (2012-14)

Jauan Jennings (2015-16, 2018)

Shawn Shamburger (2017)

Jauan Jennings (2019)

Kwauze Garland (2019-23)

Bru McCoy (2022-23)

Cristian Conyer (2023)

*Source: 2023 UT Football Media Guide

Two 49ers pass catchers working through injuries early in training camp

A pair of 49ers pass catchers are working through injuries during the early window of training camp.

Following practice on Friday, Kyle Shanahan provided multiple injury updates, including the status of two pass catchers for the San Francisco 49ers offense.

After working on the side of the field during Friday’s practice, Shanahan mentioned wide receiver Jauan Jennings has an ankle injury. Despite his injury, Shanahan said Jennings should be expected back soon.

Following three seasons with the 49ers, Jennings signed a two-year, $15 million contract in San Francisco during the offseason. Jennings is coming off a season with 19 receptions for 265 yards and a touchdown, In three seasons, the Tennessee product has seven total touchdowns.

With Jennings dealing with an injury and Brandon Aiyuk holding out of practice, rookie Ricky Pearsall and Danny Gray could see an increase in reps.

Via @nwagoner on Twitter:

Along with Jennings, new tight end Logan Thomas is also dealing with an injury. The veteran tight end and former quarterback has missed the last two practices due to a hamstring injury.

The 33-year-old pass catcher signed with the 49ers during the offseason after spending the last four seasons with the Washington Commanders.

With Thomas out, sophomores Cameron Latu and Brayden Willis have a chance to see more reps behind George Kittle. Veteran Eric Saubert could also see more reps at practice with Thomas out.

This post originally appeared on Niners Wire! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

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49ers training camp highlight shows familiar WR-QB connection

Third-and-Jauan, training camp edition.

Brandon Aiyuk’s hold-in and a handful of injuries have opened the door for 49ers wide receiver Jauan Jennings to take on a larger role in training camp.

A highlight the team posted from Saturday’s practice shows a familiar sight with quarterback Brock Purdy firing a throw in to Jennings over the middle. It must have been a third down play because Jennings made the catch in traffic and appeared to have some room to run after turning upfield.

Jennings signed an extension with the 49ers in the offseason that will keep him with the club through the 2025 campaign. He’s become an impactful player for San Francisco in pretty limited volume. It’s unlikely we’ll see Jennings ever take on a huge role in a crowded 49ers offense, but having him as a No. 3 or 4 WR is a major advantage. It’s clear Purdy trusts him on key downs and it seems like the club would be fine if Jennings ever did have to take on a bigger role.

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Jauan Jennings deserves all of his flowers and probably more

Jauan Jennings.

This post isn’t for most 49ers fans.

Most 49ers fans are acutely aware of wide receiver Jauan Jennings and the impact he has on the field whether it’s inside or outside the stat sheet.

Most non-49ers fans (who aren’t Tennessee Volunteers fans) are probably much less aware of Jennings’ impact, which is why his selection as the 49ers’ most under-appreciated player in a list by NFL media’s Tom Blair makes a ton of sense.

In the 21st century a player’s claim to nationwide fame in the NFL is almost directly tied to their fantasy football impact. That’s why someone like Jennings, who has 78 catches for 963 yards and seven touchdowns in his career, doesn’t reach that ‘household name’ status the way someone like Justin Jefferson has.

Still, his value on the stat sheet shows even in those 78 receptions. Of his 78 career catches, 50 (!) of them (64 percent) have gone for either a first down or a touchdown. His ‘Third-and-Jauan’ nickname works thanks to his reliability on contested catches and his tenacity after the catch. He singlehandedly creates first downs on plays most No. 3 WRs wouldn’t.

Then there’s the value he brings as a big-bodied run blocker. His size and willingness to stick his nose in as a blocker gives head coach Kyle Shanahan a ton of options with how he can use Jennings in formations and pre-snap motion. And Jennings flat out produces as a run blocker.

Pro Football Focus had Jennings down for the third-best run blocking grade among WRs with at least 140 run blocking snaps last season. He was fourth in the NFL in that category in 2021.

It gives the 49ers’ offense, which rarely operates out of three-WR sets, added flexibility with how they run and pass out of those formations.

Replacing Jennings from a sheer stat-sheet production standpoint wouldn’t be difficult. Replacing him as a blocker and chain-mover would be much harder. It’s why the 49ers worked hard to get him extended beyond a one-year restricted free agent tender, and wound up getting him on a two-year extension worth up to $15.4 million with $10.5 million guaranteed. They’re aware of Jennings’ impact, and it matters a ton for their offense even if Jennings isn’t a household name.

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The Xs and Os with Greg Cosell: Why defensive tackles matter more than ever

Why are defensive tackles more important in today’s NFL than they’ve ever been before? Greg Cosell and Doug Farrar are here with the answers.

In today’s NFL, with as much quick game as teams are using, it’s more important than ever to get to the quarterback as quickly as possible. Often, the shortest distance between the line of scrimmage and the quarterback is a straight line, and when your edge-rushers don’t have time to get home, it’s up to your interior defensive linemen to make those sacks and pressures happen.

It’s why the NFL has placed an increasing importance on those inside guys, and the money has gone up accordingly.

In 2019, there were 15 interior defensive linemen with in-season cap hits of more than $10 million, led by Aaron Donald at $17,108,000. In 2024, there are 22 such players. Now, a lot of those contracts are ones in which the cap hit happens to explode in this league year, but the point still stands – the NFL is placing an increased financial priority on interior defensive linemen. 

It’s also why NFL is paying more centers and guards more money and selecting more higher in the draft, as well.

In this week’s “Xs and Os with Greg Cosell and Doug Farrar,” the guys get into all the reasons why interior defensive linemen are of such crucial importance, the techniques they use to pester enemy quarterbacks, and the best players at creating pressure in the shortest possible time.

You can watch this week’s “Xs and Os” right here:

You can also listen to and subscribe to the “Xs and Os” podcast on Spotify…

…and on Apple Podcasts.

Extending Jauan Jennings was right move for 49ers

The 49ers did the right thing extending Jauan Jennings through the 2025 season.

The 49ers and wide receiver Jauan Jennings agreed to a contract extension that will keep the 2020 seventh-round pick in San Francisco through the 2025 season.

This was a good medium for the 49ers and Jennings where San Francisco wanted to lock in their No. 3 WR for more than one year, while Jennings didn’t want to take a deal that would potentially cost him money in the long-term.

A two-year deal gives Jennings room to operate as the WR3 for the next couple years with a chance for a higher target share depending on how things shake out in the receiving corps. An uptick in production would make him more valuable in the free agent market as a 28-year-old in the 2026 offseason.

Meanwhile the 49ers get to keep a sure thing in their uncertain receiving corps. Brandon Aiyuk isn’t under contract beyond 2024 and it’s unclear what Deebo Samuel’s future with the team is. Ricky Pearsall and Jacob Cowing, both 2024 draft picks, should factor in somewhere in the next couple seasons, but neither player offers the skill set Jennings has. He’s a big, tenacious run blocker who has become a big-time playmaker on third down for San Francisco.

It’s not that Jennings is irreplaceable, but not having him would change the way the 49ers offense can run out of three-plus WR sets.

Getting him at $10.5 million guaranteed over the next two years is probably right about what he would’ve received on the open market this year as a restricted free agent, and it doesn’t break the bank for San Francisco in a way that will tie their hands when it comes to Aiyuk’s extension.

Jennings’ production won’t ever jump off the page, but anyone who follows the 49ers closely knows how valuable he is. Keeping him at least for the next two seasons was a no-brainer move for the 49ers.

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49ers sign WR Jauan Jennings to 1-year contract extension to keep him through 2025

Jauan Jennings will be with the 49ers for at least two more years.

Wide receiver Jauan Jennings will be with the 49ers through the 2025 season the team announced Wednesday. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the deal is worth up to $15.4 million with $10.5 million guaranteed.

Jennings was given a one-year restricted free agent tender to ensure he’d stay with the club for the 2024 season. Now he’s added an additional one year to keep him in San Francisco for at least two more seasons after not signing his RFA tender.

It makes sense the club would want to keep Jennings around given some of the flux their receiving corps is in. He figures to be a key player for them as a third WR who is a third-down threat, red-zone weapon and dynamic run blocker. While his role could get cut down some with the arrival of Ricky Pearsall in 2024, there’s a chance it expands again in the 2025 season when the club is likely to undergo some changes in their WR room.

Jennings, a seventh-round pick in the 2020 draft, didn’t have an impact in Year 1. He was on the practice squad and then suffered an injury that prevented him from coming up to the active roster late in the year.

In 2021 though he came on strong as a reliable third-down option who added a nastiness to their run blocking that the receiving corps previously lacked. Since 2021 he’s been a staple third WR in their offense, racking up 78 catches for 963 yards and seven touchdowns.

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Rookie WR Ricky Pearsall can benefit from Brandon Aiyuk, Jauan Jennings OTA absences

While Brandon Aiyuk and Jauan Jennings are absent from OTAs, Ricky Pearsall has a chance for valuable reps.

Two of the notable absences from the 49ers’ Tuesday OTA session were wide receivers Brandon Aiyuk and Jauan Jennings. Both players are aiming for long-term extensions this offseason which presumably plays into why they weren’t in attendance for the voluntary session.

While head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters he doesn’t make much of absences from the voluntary portion of the offseason program, he did note that rookie WR Ricky Pearsall could benefit from two of the team’s top three receivers missing practice.

“Yeah, I always think the more reps you get, the more experience you get, the more different situations you can be put in,” Shanahan said in a press conference Tuesday. “I mean, if you’re talented enough and made of the right stuff, you only get better. But sometimes it’s hard to generate those things, especially in a practice when it’s not full speed all the time and things like that. So the more reps you can get of it, always helps the right type of player.”

It’s clear there are limits to how much Pearsall (or any rookie for that matter) can benefit from OTAs since they don’t have pads on and aren’t hitting, but more reps are undoubtedly helpful for a first-year player looking to learn the offense and build a rapport with the quarterback.

There won’t be a real chance for Pearsall to climb into a top-two spot on the WR depth chart this year. He could definitely be in the mix for WR3 snaps though, and these early offseason reps will only help his ability to take advantage of the opportunities that arise later in the year.

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WR is most improved position group on 49ers roster

It’s pretty clear which offensive position group improved the most for the 49ers this offseason, although the bar to clear was not high.

The 49ers’ offense is in an interesting spot heading into the 2024 season. They’re returning virtually all of their starters on that side of the ball from 2023, but they had a couple of glaring weaknesses on their depth chart that didn’t get addressed as much as they might’ve liked in the offseason. Ideally San Francisco would’ve dramatically improved its offensive line or its tight end room in free agency and the draft, but instead its their receiving corps that looks like the most improved offensive group on the roster.

It’s easy to find the starters at receiver since Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel are both returning. They’ll be the team’s top two options again. In 2024 there should be some dramatically improved depth though.

Jauan Jennings figures to be the third WR again, particularly since he’s such an effective blocker in the run game. This year though there could be some legitimate competition for snaps for Jennings though after a couple years of nobody really emerging as a credible offensive threat behind him at receiver.

The 49ers used the No. 31 overall pick to select WR Ricky Pearsall from Florida, and then they went back to the WR well with the final pick in the fourth round to take WR Jacob Cowing from Arizona.

While leaning on two rookies to help improve the receiving corps would typically come with some sizable question marks, it’s worth noting the bar for production isn’t high.

Five 49ers WRs outside of Aiyuk and Samuel caught passes last year. They combined for 42 catches, 551 yards and four touchdowns.

There’s a chance that even in a low-volume passing offense we see Pearsall eclipse the combined numbers by himself. He and Cowing together should certainly surpass them.

There’s always a chance the 49ers whiff on both picks and neither player is effective in the NFL, which would leave their receiving corps in a similar spot it was in last season when Ray-Ray McCloud, Ronnie Bell and Chris Conley were seeing targets.

On paper for now though the receiving corps is dramatically improved from last season, and that’ll continue to be true even if just one of their two draft picks pans out.

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