What it Will Cost the 49ers to Retain Jauan Jennings
Wide receiver Jauan Jennings has become an integral role player for the San Francisco 49ers.
The fire he brings with his energy is shown in the way he blocks defenders into the sideline benches. Losing him in the offseason would be a sting for the 49ers, but there is a possibility he could be gone.
Jennings is a restricted free agent when the open market comes along. The good news is that Jennings likely should stay as that is generally the case for restricted free agents. That is because of the draft tenders that get placed on them.
The 49ers can exercise the option of placing an original draft round, second round, or first round tender on Jennings. Each draft tender placed on Jennings will set his salary for the 2024 season. Should a team want to poach Jennings from the 49ers, then it will cost them whatever draft tender the 49ers placed on him.
I would imagine the 49ers use a second round tender on Jennings, which will put them on the hook for $4.8 million with Jennings. I don't see how any team will want to give up a second round pick for Jennings at all, so doing so will essentially guarantee his return to the 49ers.
They could also not place anything on him, which will set his salary to at least $2.9 million. An original round tender will be a seventh round pick and at least $3.1 million salary. A first round tender will give Jennings at least $6.8 million, but there is no way the 49ers will exercise that.
I fully expect a second round tender to be placed on Jennings. However, giving their third best receiver and overall fifth or sixth featured player $5 million is a bit wild. The 49ers may feel that is a little too rich for them given Jennings' role. But it all depends on if the 49ers don't see the need to save that money and put it elsewhere.
The 49ers will be placing their official tender on Jennings in the coming weeks.
