Former Tennessee Vols WR Jauan Jennings gets a harsh reminder about quickly NFL teams move on from players
It’s been a trying offseason for former Tennessee Volunteers wide receiver Jauan Jennings, who is still a free agent after spending the last six seasons of his NFL career with the San Francisco 49ers.
The offseason hasn’t gone the way that former Tennessee Vols wide receiver Jauan Jennings was hoping it would.
After failing to come to a longterm agreement with the San Francisco 49ers — the team that Jennings spent the first six seasons of his NFL career with — the assumption was that the former Vol would land a nice contract during the first wave of free agency in March.
Instead, we’re a few weeks away from Memorial Day and Jennings is still a free agent.
The 49ers “replaced” Jennings by selecting Ole Miss wide receiver De’Zhaun Stribling in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
“I think everyone knows how good of a blocker Jauan was, or is, and how big he’s been for us in that way,” said 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan while discussing the addition of Stribling. “So we have a hole without that, and this guy definitely could fill that…I really fell in love with him as a route runner, how fast he is, how big, how good his hands are, how physical he played.”
That move essentially confirmed that Jennings won’t be returning to San Francisco in 2026.
Jauan Jennings gets another big sign that San Francisco has moved on
If the addition of Stribling to the roster wasn’t enough, Jennings received another sign this week that the 49ers are moving on.
Stribling will reportedly wear No. 15 with the 49ers.
Jennings, of course, wore No. 15 during his time with San Francisco.
There’s no better way to unofficially announce that you’re moving on from a player than giving their old number to a rookie.
Someone will eventually sign Jennings this offseason. And whichever team does, will be significantly better for it. Jennings is an elite teammate, a relentless blocker, a chain mover, and a player who places a higher emphasis on winning than individual stats. He’s the type of player every winning team needs, and the 49ers are worse off because they let him walk.