The San Francisco 49ers’ 2025 campaign came to a crashing halt in the playoffs, falling 41-6 to division rival Seattle. It was a tough ending for a team that had battled through a mountain of injuries just to reach the postseason. Given the sheer number of key players who missed time, the fact that San Francisco even made it this far was a testament to their depth, resilience, and coaching.
One of those injury-hit players was wide receiver Jauan Jennings. He started the season on the sidelines, banged up before Week 1, but when he returned, he didn’t just fill a role-he became the team’s most productive wideout.
Jennings led all 49ers receivers and finished second on the team in receiving yards behind Christian McCaffrey, racking up 643 yards and a team-high nine touchdown catches. He was a steady presence in the red zone and a reliable target in key moments, playing with the kind of physicality and toughness that has long defined San Francisco’s offensive identity.
But now, Jennings is heading toward free agency. Come March 2026, he’ll be an unrestricted free agent, free to test the open market-and potentially cash in on what could be the last big contract of his career.
He turns 29 this offseason, and with his production in 2025, he’s positioned himself for a serious payday. Spotrac has his market value pegged at around $22 million per year, a hefty number for a 49ers front office already navigating a tight salary cap and a roster full of big-money commitments.
Speaking on Jennings’ future, 49ers President of Football Operations and GM John Lynch offered some insight, though it came with a measured tone.
“He plays the game the right way. We’d love to have him back,” Lynch said.
“We’ll work to accomplish that. We’ll see how it goes.”
That’s far from a sure thing. And with Brandon Aiyuk widely expected to be on the move this offseason, the 49ers’ receiving corps could be in for a major shakeup.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan also addressed the status of Ricky Pearsall, the young wideout who was on the verge of a breakout before an untimely injury derailed his season. Shanahan made it clear that Pearsall was trending toward stardom before going down.
“He was leading the league in a lot of categories before he got hurt. Then he landed on his knee in the wrong way,” Shanahan said.
Assuming Pearsall returns to full strength, he’s expected to take over as the team’s top outside threat in 2026. But that’s still a big “if,” especially with George Kittle also recovering from an Achilles injury. Between Kittle’s uncertain timeline and the potential departures of both Aiyuk and Jennings, the 49ers’ offensive identity could look very different next season.
San Francisco has long leaned on continuity and chemistry, especially on offense. But with key pieces either sidelined or possibly on their way out, this offseason could mark a turning point. Whether Jennings returns or not, the 49ers will need to retool around a new set of playmakers-and hope that the injury bug doesn’t bite again in 2026.