Jauan Jennings is a Vikings dream fit. He’s getting a step closer to making that fit a reality.

Check out what Adam Schefter of ESPN had to say: “49ers free-agent wide receiver Jauan Jennings is visiting tonight and Wednesday with the Minnesota Vikings, per source.” Quite possibly, word will emerge tonight or tomorrow of a deal.

Vikings Dream Fit Jauan Jennings Going to Twin Cities

Start off with the basics.

Jauan Jennings is 6’3″ and weighs 212 pounds. He got into the NFL in the 7th Round of the 2020 NFL Draft, the same event where Justin Jefferson got snagged in the 1st Round. He has since played every season in San Francisco, but he did spend his debut season on the practice squad. Presumably, a major reason why he fell to the 7th was due to his 4.72 forty, a terrible time for a receiver.

Jennings can be a streaky player, but he’s awesome when he’s on. For basic statistics, a normal season involves 48 receptions for 585 yards and 5 touchdowns. His best season, though, was quite a lot more impressive. In 2024, Jennings offered up 77 catches, 975 yards, and 6 touchdowns.

Per PFF, Jauan Jennings spent 45% of his passing snaps in the slot. He then had 55% out wide. Being able to move around the formation is a nice detail for Kevin O’Connell’s offense. So, too, is his size a helpful piece of the puzzle.

Safe to say that many see the fit as being a good one.

Alec Lewis (The Athletic) passes along a thought: “Former 49ers WR Jauan Jennings is visiting the Vikings this week, per source. @AdamSchefter on it. Would be a perfect fit in this system alongside Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. Another tone setter.”

And make note of Kevin Seifert’s quick quip: “Vikings didn’t end up drafting a receiver, and now that the compensatory pick period has passed, they are targeting Jennings. Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison are the only vet WRs on the roster.”

Seifert’s point is a good one.

Earlier today, I pointed out that the compensatory pick deadline had passed. The quick detail wasn’t in relation to Jennings since the news of a Vikings visit hadn’t yet emerged, but it’s applicable to him. Scooping up a pass rusher such as Jadeveon Clowney has a ton of merit; so does adding another weapon for that receiver group.

Jennings is coming off a modest contract to follow his rookie deal. He snagged a touch less than $12 million over two years, a modest amount within the world of NFL receiver deals.

He’s now getting pretty late in the free agency process as a lingering talent within the third wave. Still, though, one wonders how cheap he could be acquired. Does a single-season deal for roughly $10 million get the job done? Too high? The Vikings could afford that, but there would need to be some money moves.

Rallying around a top trio of Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and Jauan Jennings would be borderline unfair. Whoever starts — either of Kyler Murray or J.J. McCarthy — would get to work with an embarrassment of riches.

The Vikings currently have $16 million in cap space, but that’s without getting the draft class under contract. Minnesota, in other words, has somewhere around $10 million in cap space to work with in the Jennings sweepstakes. Another cash influx is going to arrive in June due to the post-June 1st cuts for Jonathan Allen and Harrison Smith.

Jennings will turn 29 in July.

Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference, PFF, and Over the Cap helped with this piece.