SANTA CLARA, Calif. — After a summer dominated by injuries, the San Francisco 49ers had a nearly full house for Monday’s practice, including Jauan Jennings.
Jennings had looked sharp at the start of training camp but had been out with a calf injury for more than a month. He also has been pushing for a reworked contract, and it was hard to tell which — calf or contract — was holding him out of action.
“Both things can be true, you know,” general manager John Lynch said last week. “He wants a new contract and he’s got a hurt calf, so I think people want to assume one or the other. Both things can be true.”
A league source said Monday that the two sides had not yet reached a contract agreement. Jennings, meanwhile, declined to speak to reporters after practicing. A public relations official said he would do so later in the week.
Jennings, 28, became the 49ers’ top wide receiver last season after Brandon Aiyuk tore his ACL on Oct. 20, and he led the receiving group in yards (975) and touchdowns (six). He’s also one of the feistiest players on the roster with blocking skills that rival a tight end’s.
“He’s my favorite player on the team,” said guard Dominick Puni, who also returned to practice Monday. “What he does in the run game — we just love him as an O-line.”
Without Jennings, the 49ers would have had to lean on newcomers and other teams’ castoffs at the position. If he remains healthy, Jennings and Ricky Pearsall will start Sunday on the road against the Seattle Seahawks, with Skyy Moore, Russell Gage and Marquez Valdes-Scantling — none of whom were on the 49ers roster last season — likely filling out the rest of the game day receiving group.
Because he’s on the physically unable to perform list, Aiyuk must miss the first four games while Demarcus Robinson is suspended for the first three in relation to last year’s DUI arrest outside of Los Angeles.
Others who returned to practice for Monday’s so-called “bonus” practice included defensive tackle Kalia Davis, defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos and Gage. Puni, at right guard, and Davis, at defensive tackle, likely will start Sunday if they don’t have any setbacks.
The only member of the 53-man roster who didn’t practice Monday was rookie wideout Jordan Watkins, who is coming back from a high-ankle sprain. Watkins has been running on a side field in recent weeks. He’s unlikely to be ready for Week 1 but could be back soon thereafter.
The nearly full house Monday seemed to lift spirits in the locker room.
“It helps a lot,” tackle Trent Williams said. “Having all hands on deck, having the guys we planned to have in there in Week 1, it’s definitely gonna help. We’re gonna need it going into the toughest environment in the league. And there’s no real warm-up to it.”
(Photo of Jauan Jennings: Ezra Shaw / Getty Images)
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