The Kansas City Chiefs have spent the past few years with a bit of a turnstile at wide receiver, but this year feels slightly different.
Rashee Rice is out on suspension for the first six weeks, Xavier Worthy is already recovering from a shoulder injury sustained Week 1 and Jalen Royals hasn’t been healthy enough to show what he can bring to the table.
Patrick Mahomes still has Travis Kelce as his security blanket, but the offense feels like it still needs someone else to help steady the ship. Enter Jauan Jennings.
Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox named the Niners a top candidate to trade for Jennings, projecting the San Francisco 49ers WR’s trade value to be a fourth-round pick along with a 2027 fifth-rounder. Would this be the kind of move Kansas City should make? Let’s discuss.
A Look Back at Jennings’ Time With the 49ers
Drafted in the seventh round in 2020, Jennings spent his rookie year stuck between the practice squad and injured list before breaking through in 2021.
By then, he had carved out a role in San Francisco as Kyle Shanahan’s go-to on third downs. Fans and teammates alike dubbed him “Third-and-Jauan” for good reason: when the Niners needed a tough conversion, Jennings was generally the guy muscling through traffic to move the chains.
From 2021 through 2023, Jennings posted decent stat lines, but in 2024, with injuries hitting the 49ers’ WRs room, he leveled up and finished the year as a reliable secondary option. By season’s end, he had career highs in catches (77), receiving yards (975) and touchdowns (6).
Why a Trade to the Kansas City Chiefs Makes Sense for Jauan Jennings
GettyShould the Kansas City Chiefs try to trade for WR Jauan Jennings?
For Kansas City, the fit feels like it could be a good one. Jennings has made his living on the same kinds of routes Andy Reid tends to favor: options, slants, digs. Add in his blocking on screens and outside runs, and you have a wideout who can help multiple facets of the Chiefs offense. He doesn’t need to post gaudy numbers to help; he just has to win his matchup on third-and-five or bury a cornerback to spring Isaiah Pacheco loose.
This isn’t about landing a superstar. Jennings has never been the fastest guy on the field or a showy playmaker. What he has been, consistently, is tough as nails. He’s the kind of receiver who makes defensive backs think twice about tackling him in the flat.
Then there’s the cap math, which makes the idea realistic. Jennings is playing on the final year of a two-year extension, with a 2025 cap hit of $4.25 million — just $1.17 million in base salary plus per-game bonuses. The heavy bonus proration already sits on San Francisco’s books, which means a trade partner would only take on the leftover base and incentives.
He has also battled injury issues this summer, so his medicals would have to be good.
Jennings may not be the kind of acquisition that sends fans sprinting to buy jerseys. But if Kansas City makes that call, don’t be surprised if “Third-and-Jauan” suddenly becomes a frequent chant at Arrowhead.
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