Receiver Jennings likely to re-sign

One of the San Francisco 49ers’ Super Bowl standouts is almost certainly staying in Santa Clara.

On Monday, the 49ers placed a second-round tender on wide receiver Jauan Jennings, who was a restricted free agent. The second-round tender carries a one-year, $4.89 million salary and gives the 49ers the right to match a better offer Jennings might accept from another team. If the 49ers didn’t match, that team would have to surrender a second-round pick to the 49ers.

It’s highly unlikely another team would place that value on Jennings, 26, the 49ers’ No. 3 wideout who had 19 catches for 265 yards and one touchdown in 13 games last season. However, Jennings’ modest career numbers — 78 catches for 963 yards and seven scores in three seasons — don’t fully capture his impact as a ferocious run blocker and clutch third-down target.

All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner was captured by NFL Films saying Jennings was “one of the best football players I’ve ever played with” after Jennings’ 10-yard touchdown catch in the 49ers’ 25-22 overtime loss to the Chiefs in Super Bowl LVIII last month. It was part of a performance in which Jennings had four catches for 42 yards and added a 21-yard touchdown pass to running back Christian McCaffrey. Jennings became the second player to have a passing touchdown and receiving score in a Super Bowl.

General manager John Lynch has said the 49ers are interested in signing Jennings to a contract extension. In doing so, the 49ers could lower the $4.89 million salary cap charge Jennings currently carries in 2024 with the second-round tender.