Despite all the experience Kyle Shanahan has, the 49ers have a tough road in 2025. Last season ended with a 6-11 record. But there’s a bigger issue this season. Jauan Jennings, their new WR1, is trying to profit from the situation. His calf injury has kept him sidelined through much of training camp and the preseason, but as Tim Kawakami reveals, there’s far more simmering beneath the surface than muscle and tendon.

“Jauan Jennings probably doesn’t want to go on injury reserve or get deactivated or whatever could happen in the next few days if he’s not practicing. But everything I’ve heard is that he wants a lot, and the 49ers are offering very little,” Kawakami told 95.7 The Game on August 28. The stakes are monumental, and the numbers alone tell a story of audacity. Kawakami explained, “What you hear, not from the camp but from NFL circles, is that it’s high above $20 million annually, and maybe a lot above 20 a year, to put him in the top 20 or so of receivers.” The 49ers have a history of elevating talent.

Brandon Aiyuk’s leap in salary set a precedent. But this time, Kyle Shanahan and his front office are firm. “The 49ers side, in the air on that one, is they don’t want to do anything. They are negotiating, but just redid his deal last year. Before he was the first receiver basically last year when Aiyuk got hurt. It’s not close. It’s pretty clear it’s not close,” Kawakami added.

Every word underscores the gap between ambition and restriction. But injury and negotiation are inseparable threads in this story. Jennings’ absence from practice might not just be a consequence of recovery; it could be a calculated move for leverage. Kawakami noted, “Both things can be true. He wants a new contract, and he’s got a hurt calf. So I think people want to assume one or the other. Both things can be true.” But the 49ers aren’t ready to bend their knee.

In the end, the Jennings saga revolves between loyalty and the business aspect of the sport. The question hanging over Santa Clara is inevitable. Who will blink first, the player fighting for recognition and security, or the franchise determined not to bend its rules?

Kyle Shanahan gives Brock Purdy a worrying update

Brock Purdy came into this season hoping his wide receivers would step up, ready to erase the frustrations of last year. Instead, he’s staring at a mess. Brandon Aiyuk is on the PUP list. Demarcus Robinson is suspended. Jauan Jennings? Stuck in a contract standoff, sidelined by a calf injury, and demanding $20 million a year, a price the 49ers aren’t willing to pay. The rest of the depth chart doesn’t inspire much hope.

On August 28, Brock Purdy got some news. Kendrick Bourne, a familiar face from Kyle Shanahan’s early San Francisco days, was visiting the team. Bourne isn’t just a name. Overall, he has 292 receptions, 3,714 yards, and 22 touchdowns in 8 seasons. He already knows the playbook and the culture, thanks to his 4 years of experience with the team. The receiver can come in handy when Purdy needs him.

But here’s the problem: while Bourne can fill a hole, Jennings’ drama is far from over. The calf injury lingers, the contract demands are sky-high, and the 49ers aren’t budging. Purdy isn’t working from a position of strength. He’s trying to find combinations that could help go into the playoffs.

Last year’s failures haunt Purdy, and while new additions like Bourne bring some hope, the unresolved Jennings saga hangs over every practice, every route, every game plan. Kyle Shanahan can scheme all he wants, but until Jennings decides or returns healthy, the 49ers are operating in chaos, not confidence.