4 Reasons Free Agent WR Jauan Jennings Fits Best With Chiefs

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Two years ago, Jauan Jennings was on his way to earning the Super Bowl MVP.

In Super Bowl 58 opposite the Chiefs, the 49ers’ wide receiver – a seventh-round selection in the 2020 draft -- threw a second-quarter touchdown pass to Christian McCaffrey. Then, in the second half, he registered three humongous receptions, including a go-ahead fourth-quarter touchdown.

Can't beat him, join him

But Patrick Mahomes had other thoughts, leading the Chiefs to a 25-22 overtime victory. So, two years later, if you can’t beat him, join him.

That was the advice of Ben Solak on Tuesday, now that Jennings is preparing for free agency. The ESPN analyst sees Jennings and the Chiefs fitting very well next month, but not for Jennings’ ability to help Kansas City in the pass game.

xavier worth — Nov 2, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy (1) runs the ball after a catch in the first quarter against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

“The Chiefs need to be more willing to block with their receivers in the running game,” Solak told Kay Adams on Tuesday’s edition of Up and Adams. “It's the No. 1 limiting factor in their running game right now.

“Jauan Jennings with the 49ers, man, tough on third down, makes hands catches, physical. But he is an extremely willing blocker. He would bring a degree of physicality that the Chiefs desperately need at the position.”

A physical wide receiver

Solak’s suggestion makes a lot of sense, and not just because Jennings was a four-star high school quarterback rated higher than Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow entering college (he converted to wide receiver at Tennessee, where he was in the same huddle with Trey Smith).

First, the Chiefs had that physicality in JuJu Smith-Schuster but he’s a free agent and likely won’t return. Smith-Schuster was a strong blocker whose blocking even sparked a postgame brawl with Detroit safety Brian Branch after Kansas City’s Week 6 win. Jennings is much more productive in the passing game, too.

Second, he adds size to a wideout group that lacks a lot of mass. Even if Xavier Worthy somehow adds 20 pounds in the offseason, he still wouldn’t be big enough to neutralize safeties and outside linebackers in the run game. Hollywood Brown and Tyquan Thornton, also free agents, didn’t add anything there, either.

Jennings is 6-3 and 212 pounds, and he has 15 touchdown receptions and 83 first downs over the last two seasons.

Make Chiefs less predictable

Third, Jennings can provide more creativity in the offense. Head coach Andy Reid said last month that defenses had stopped respecting the Chiefs’ running game. Jennings would allow for more balance and misdirection.

Finally, Jennings is projected to command $22 million per year on the March free-agent market. Kansas City isn’t expected to be able to afford a lot of players, but the Chiefs could do so much worse than give Jennings most of their free-agent budget.

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