Brock Purdy’s WR Breaks Silence on New Contract & Clears Air on Injury Status

Brock Purdy‘s WR, Jauan Jennings, spent much of the summer stuck between a calf injury and contract talks, but now both are behind him. The 49ers receiver just worked out a deal that adds $3 million in playing-time incentives to his contract. Now, after returning to practice on Monday following five weeks on the sideline, he’s finally ready to turn his full attention to the season, but with a question mark, per a former wide receiver.

The WR seemingly showed satisfaction while talking about his contract, although he appeared hesitant to discuss the details of it. For the reworked contract, 49ers #15 said, “Oh yeah. I love money. You love money? I love money,” as Nick Wagoner reported. “Just focusing on week one,” the WR declared when asked about the opener against the Seahawks on September 7. On his concern about his calf injury, he assured the fans that he has “been feeling a lot better” and said he’s “ready to go.” While this may have been a great response, former NFL player T.J. Houshmandzadeh’s bold opinion raised eyebrows.

As posted by 95.7 The Game on X, the former WR feels that Jennings is “pis-ed” about not receiving a long-term commitment from the franchise. “When you’re underpaid, you wanna be paid what you feel you’re worth…We’re talking his peers…He wants to be paid up to that standard,” he said. Frustration on the player’s side could be understandable when we look into the overall situation.

Jennings is in the last year of his 2-year contract valued at $15.3 million (signed in May 2024). The WR was set to make up to $7.5 million this season. With new play-time incentives added in, he now has the chance to earn as much as $10.5 million. His deal includes a $6.65 million base salary, with half of that ($3.275 million) already paid out in February as an advance. On top of that, he gets $50,000 for every game he suits up. That means this could lead up to a total of $850,000 in roster bonuses if he plays the full season. An extension might depend on his performance.

Well, last year on the field, he looked like someone who deserved more than $15.3 million after racking up 77 catches for 975 yards and scoring 6 touchdowns across 15 games. Not to mention, with several players down with injuries, Jennings stepped up with his A-game to help the team. Still, he didn’t receive a long-term deal. Nevertheless, the 49ers have made some additions too, bringing in Skyy Moore and Marquez Valdes-Scantling. However, for Brock Purdy to be efficient and have an extra edge, he needs a healthy Jennings to team up with Ricky Pearsall, as they know the system. And luckily, he will have the WR who seems determined for the season opener.

Brock Purdy & John Lynch excited to have Jauan Jennings back

Now, the 49ers got a boost of good news heading into Week 1 with Jennings back on the practice field and ready to roll. And 49ers GM John Lynch appeared happy with the results, too. “Jauan did battle a calf injury, and he did want a new contract, and both things seemed to get right right at the right time. That’s a good thing for us. The great news is, Jauan has looked great out there. He’s ready to go. He kept himself in really good shape. Is there going to be a little rust? Hopefully not. He’s played a lot of football for us. His energy out there is palpable. We feel it,” he told KNBR.

Purdy, for his part, couldn’t hide his excitement, too, about getting Jennings back. “Obviously, the energy that JJ brings when he steps on the field and the dog mentality that he has, it’s been great. Dropping back and trusting in him to be where he needs to be and picking up where we left off has been great. So, obviously having him back has been sweet. Trying to get him in the right matchups and get him the ball, let him eat. Really excited he’s back for our team,” Purdy said.

Earlier, when the WR returned to the practice field amid rumors of his contract talks, he was seen sharing a hug with the GM. So, it could mean that there is no frustration for now. However, what we do know is Jennings will be gearing up for Week 1 if things go right. Yeah, that’s true that some concerns arose earlier when he saw limited action in Wednesday’s (August 3) practice. But now that he is excited to be back, that energy is exactly what the Niners will need. And it’s not just Jennings. The 49ers are starting to get healthier all around, with the return of Dominick Puni and others.