49ers' Jauan Jennings named among NFL's top safety-blanket wideouts

When San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy finds himself in trouble, all he needs to do is look for Jauan Jennings. The veteran wide receiver has established himself as a clutch offensive weapon for the 49ers, with a knack for helping his quarterback escape tough situations.

Pro Football Focus contributor Lauren Gray recently ranked the NFL's top safety-blanket wide receivers. Jennings landed at No. 7 on the list with an 18.8% threat rate, which represents the percentage of routes where the player is targeted while the passer is under duress.

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

Jennings is coming off a breakout season, recording 77 receptions for 975 yards and six touchdowns in 2024—all career highs. He likely would have surpassed the 1,000-yard mark had he not been wrongly ejected from the season finale against the Arizona Cardinals.

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

With Deebo Samuel now with the Washington Commanders and Brandon Aiyuk still recovering from ACL and MCL injuries, Jennings is poised for a major 2025 campaign. He and second-year wideout Ricky Pearsall are expected to be the 49ers' Week 1 starters against the Seattle Seahawks.

Of course, Jennings has always carried the confidence of a top NFL receiver.

"Yeah, I think, if you ask Jauan, he says, 'I'm number one,'" offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak said in May. "And that's his mindset, and that's why we love Jauan. That's how he sees himself. He sees himself as a dominant player. I think you guys all saw last year when he got more chances, he played really, really well. So really fired up about Jauan."

Jennings is entering the final season of the two-year deal he signed in 2024.