Jauan Jennings agreed to a one-year contract with the Minnesota Vikings on Thursday to give the team a needed third option at receiver.
Agent Drew Rosenhaus said the deal could be worth up to $13 million.
The Vikings were looking for a replacement for Jalen Nailor after he left as a free agent to sign with Las Vegas earlier this offseason. Jennings joins a receiver group led by two-time All-Pro Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison.
Jennings, who turns 29 in July, spent the past five seasons with the San Francisco 49ers, where he was a dependable option on third down and one of the best downfield blockers among receivers. He was originally a seventh-round pick in 2020 by the 49ers.
He caught 210 passes for 2,581 yards and 22 TDs in 75 games for San Francisco, with his best season coming in 2024 when he set career highs with 77 catches for 975 yards. Jennings had 55 catches for 643 yards and nine TDs last season, while also throwing a touchdown pass in a playoff win against Philadelphia.
Jennings sought a long-term contract with San Francisco last summer when he sat out for most of training camp. He eventually agreed to a deal that added $3 million in incentives and became a free agent in March.
Jennings didn’t have a hot market early in free agency and ended up with the one-year deal with Minnesota after the deadline for when signings would impact the compensatory draft pick formula. San Francisco replaced him by signing Mike Evans and Christian Kirk in free agency and drafting De’Zhaun Stribling with the first pick of the second round.
Jennings had nearly one-third of his career receptions — 69 out of 270 — convert on third down, earning him the nickname “Third and Jauan” during his time with the 49ers. He also takes great pride in his physical play as a blocker and was key factor on many long runs by Christian McCaffrey during his time in San Francisco.
Jennings’ biggest game came on the biggest stage. In the Super Bowl following the 2023 season, he threw a touchdown pass in the first half and caught a go-ahead TD pass in the fourth quarter against Kansas City. He was in line to be the possible MVP before the Chiefs rallied for a 25-22 overtime win.
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