49ers' Jauan Jennings Injury Could Impact New Contract Timeline

Just when we thought there was some positive momentum (because of no holdout) between the San Francisco 49ers and receiver Jauan Jennings regarding a new contract, the situation met an unfortunate roadblock.

At training camp, head coach Kyle Shanahan announced Jennings had suffered a calf injury, leading to a full absence from the facility on Monday. He had also dealt with calf discomfort during the early phases of the offseason program at minicamp.

“I don’t know,” Shanahan said about how the injury occured. “I’ll hear about it later today with anybody who goes out of practice, but that’s why I know he went out. That’s what he had in OTAs, so I’m sure it’s similar.”

The injury will be monitored closely to determine its severity. It comes at notable timing as Jennings is taking part in camp despite publicly saying he wants a new contract or a trade. The latter is unlikely to happen, but the former is now expected to be delayed until more information is gathered about the injury.

Just as the Niners might be hesitant to unload their resources on him while he's hurt, Jennings might be equally as wary of stepping onto the practice field without the security of a new contract. After his attendance was met with good faith so far at camp, this interruption could cause some unwanted tension that stalls the signing process even more.

Jennings broke out last season after Brandon Aiyuk's torn ACL, turning into the Niners' top wide receiver target. He caught 77 passes for 975 yards and six touchdowns in 10 starts - all career high totals.

The 28-year-old is entering his fifth NFL season and the final year of his two-year, $11.89 million contract ($5.95 million APY) with San Fran.

If the 49ers don't deem this setback and his age as a risk, Jennings could command a substantial pay raise. His projected market value sits at $19 million per season, per Spotrac.

Of course, that trust is not guaranteed ... but it may be in the team's best interest to lock down a top receiver while Aiyuk recovers. Now they're met with a tough decision as Jennings is sidelined and multiple experienced veteran free agents are still unsigned.

Jennings could still be in line for a new deal, but at the very least, we should expect things to slow down on that front for now.