It's fair to wonder if the San Francisco 49ers are regretting not having traded wide receiver Jauan Jennings earlier this offseason when he reportedly asked for either an extension or a trade.
Granted, the Niners' thinness at the position mandated Jennings stay, yet his stock value was never higher after coming off a career-best season in 2024 that saw him net 975 yards as the offense's top receiver.
Now, though, Jennings' stock value has plummeted. Fast.
The receiver hasn't exactly helped his case for a would-be trade either. After settling for a revised contract in 2025 that promises plenty of incentives based on performance, Jennings has just 10 catches for 136 yards and a touchdown, already well-trailing San Francisco's recently added receiver, Kendrick Bourne, who boasts 371 yards on 23 receptions after signing ahead of Week 2.
Bourne, not Jennings, appears to be the preferred choice for the 49ers in light of injury-related absences of other wideouts, Ricky Pearsall and Brandon Aiyuk.
But that's not the only way in which Jennings has effectively sabotaged his stock value.
Jauan Jennings' injury admission hurts 49ers' ability to trade him
A free agent in 2026, there are still no indications the Niners are willing to shop Jennings between now and the Nov. 4 trade deadline. Yet Bourne's recent ascent suggests the former is much more expendable than originally thought.
And, with rumors surfacing that teams like the New York Giants are potentially looking to add a Jennings-like player in the imminent future, it's fair to wonder if San Francisco would be willing to offload "Third and Jauan" for a likable return.
Especially after Jennings' sideline spat with head coach Kyle Shanahan during the Week 6 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
But that might not have been the biggest blow to Jennings' trade value. After that game, the wide receiver told reporters he had been playing with five broken ribs, two ankle injuries and a shoulder injury, no doubt taking the field as much as possible to achieve those incentives within his contract:
"I’ve got five broken ribs," Jennings admitted. "It’s football. I love pain, I wouldn’t be playing this sport if I didn’t,” Jennings said. “That’s part of it. You’ve got to enjoy every little thing that comes with it, and pain is one of those."
While it's not uncommon for players to be dealing with a plethora of injuries after only a few weeks into any given season, admitting the nature of said injuries isn't exactly the best way to attract would-be trade partners.
Teams like the Giants may still be interested in Jennings' services, yes, and the 49ers may be interested in moving him ahead of the deadline, too.
But, considering those injury concerns, Jennings certainly can't be seen as big a high-value target as he would have been if healthy.
Or, at the very least, seemingly healthy.