Why 49ers WR Jauan Jennings is Brock Purdy's Safety Blanket

Jauan Jennings isn't necessarily the best receiver on the 49ers. But when Brock Purdy is under pressure, he looks for Jennings more than any other receiver.

Dec 8, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jauan Jennings (15) celebrates after catching a pass for a touchdown against the Chicago Bears in the second quarter at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images | Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

Jauan Jennings isn't necessarily the best receiver on the 49ers. But when Brock Purdy is under pressure, he looks for Jennings more than any other receiver.

This was true in the Super Bowl when George Kittle, Christian McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk all were on the field. On the biggest plays of the game, when the protection broke down, Purdy threw the ball blindly to Jennings even though Aiyuk was open and Jennings was not.

That's what Pro Football Focus says Jennings is one of the NFL's top safety blankets among wide receivers.

"Jennings caught 16 of 31 targets for 188 yards and 10 first downs with 49ers quarterbacks under pressure," writes PFF's Lauren Gray. "He hauled in three touchdowns, secured five of eight contested targets and had five plays of 15-plus yards in those situations.

"He owns a 66.8 PFF receiving grade on pressured targets over the past three seasons, having caught 35 passes for 378 yards. Jennings has gained 20 first downs, caught four touchdowns and logged 11 explosive gains in that span."

Keep in mind, Purdy is relatively short for a quarterback -- he's 6'1". So he can't see the entire field from the pocket, especially when he's under pressure. So he throws to spots where he expects certain receivers to be. And Jennings is his tallest wide receiver. And he's one of the best players in the league when it comes to making contested catches.

You'd think the 49ers would want to extend Jennings' contract, considering how often Purdy leans on him during critical moments. Unfortunately for the 49ers, the outrageous extension they gave to Aiyuk probably precludes them from signing Jennings as well.