The San Francisco 49ers got some great news on Monday as Jauan Jennings reported to practice after a contract standoff. It may not have been a coincidence that he returned right when a former Niner entered the building.
The Jennings saga began roughly a month or two ago as it was publicized that Jennings wanted a new deal or he was going to request a trade. Apparently he did request a trade, but general manager John Lynch said the team had no interest in dealing him.
Therefore, it seems like Jennings had to stand down from his more aggressive position and accept the fact he was going to have to play this season rather than hold out or risk some sort of nuclear option that could have been exercised by San Francisco.
This decision may have been helped along by the fact that former 49ers wide receiver Kendrick Bourne was in the building on Monday after getting released by the New England Patriots.
Bourne definitely seemed like a candidate to reunite with his original team, given his situation in New England. It seems like a strategic move that the Niners had Bourne come in on the Monday when practice began ahead of Week 1 of the regular season against the Seattle Seahawks.
Did 49ers use Kendrick Bourne as leverage against Jauan Jennings?
They clearly wanted to put some pressure on Jennings to get him back on the field, and it seems like that worked perfectly.
It is fair to wonder whether the Niners could have signed Bourne even if he was somewhat meant to be a pressure piece for Jenning a to sign, but it seems he may have already spurned the Niners in favor of the Washington Commanders. He has a relationship there with Deebo Samuel and general manager Adam Peters, so that makes sense as a landing spot for him.
San Francisco should feel much better about the wide receiver situation heading into the season if Jennings is healthy and out there in Week 1. With him as the top guy and Ricky Pearsall as the No. 2 guy, everyone can breathe a bit easier knowing Brock Purdy is not going to have to target Russell Gage five times or something like that.
San Francisco finally won a standoff with one of its wide receivers, and it seems Bourne played a key role in it, which puts the Niners in a much better spot heading into Week 1.