The San Francisco 49ers have several wide receivers set to be free agents, and one of them is Jauan Jennings.
Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area has said that he does not believe Jennings will return to the team.
If that ends up being the case, then the Niners need to have a backup plan.
Thankfully, there is a pretty obvious one available in free agency.
Keenan Allen might be an ideal Jauann Jennings replacement
Veteran Keenan Allen is set to be a free agent after returning to the Los Angeles Chargers last season. The 33-year-old pro had 81 catches for 777 yards and four touchdowns in 2025. He was no longer a regular starter, but he proved that he still has gas in the tank as he played in all 17 of the Bolts' games.
Allen has spent every year of his NFL career with the Chargers except for 2024 in which he spent with the Chicago Bears. He’s made the Pro Bowl six times and has had a truly impressive career up to this point.
The Chargers have brought in Mike McDaniel as their new offensive coordinator, so whether Allen returns to the franchise with which he has spent practically all of his career may have to do with whether the eccentric McDaniel views him as a part of LA's offense going forward.
Los Angeles does have exciting young receivers in Ladd McConkey and Quentin Johnston, so it may decide to focus on those guys more and move on from Allen.
Would Keenan Allen depart Chargers for 49ers?
If the Chargers bid farewell to Allen, he would be an ideal replacement for Jennings. While no player can replicate the tenacity and grittiness that Jennings plays the game with, Allen does one thing in particular that Jennings has always been known for.
Jennings has established himself as quarterback Brock Purdy’s go-to target on third down. Seemingly whenever it is third down Jennings comes up with a clutch catch to keep the chains moving.
According to data on the best third down targets in the NFL, Allen actually hauled in a higher percentage of third down catches on more targets than Jennings last season.Â
Allen would provide that veteran presence the 49ers need as they could end up having a pretty young wide receiver room next season if they opt to address their need for speed through the NFL Draft.Â
Plus, he has ties to the Bay Area as he played his college ball at Cal, so perhaps a return to Northern California is in order for the veteran.Â