Which 49ers came away as winners or losers after NFL free agency?

Winner: Wide receiver Jauan Jennings

San Francisco still has depth questions at wide receiver even if the one-two tandem of Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk are sufficient enough to shoulder the load entering 2022.

Two factors work into play for why third-year pro Jauan Jennings is a massive winner here.

For starters, and in addition to his loud 24-catch, 282-yard, five-touchdown campaign last season, San Francisco elected not to re-sign fellow wideout Trent Sherfield, who was arguably the only rostered receiver who could have challenged Jennings for the No. 3 spot on the depth chart in 2022 had he stayed.

Want your voice heard? Join the Niner Noise team!

Write for us!

Sherfield, instead, is off to reunite with former 49ers offensive coordinator, turned Miami Dolphins head coach, Mike McDaniel.

Second, the Niners chose not to get involved in the wide receiver sweepstakes much at all. Aside from the Ray-Ray McCloud deal, and a special teams move at that, San Francisco elected not to get in on the market for standout wideouts like the Los Angeles Rams’ Allen Robinson or the Kansas City Chiefs’ JuJu Smith-Schuster. Even secondary and tertiary names were all but completely avoided by the 49ers, too, helping ensure Jennings has a bona fide role on offense heading towards training camp.