Seattle Seahawks fans know well how a successful team can begin to break apart from within. It happened with Seattle after the bungled play at the end of Super Bowl XLIX when running back Marshawn Lynch didn't get the ball. The San Francisco 49ers appear to be burning from within now, too.
The 49ers have been good for a while now, and except for years when the team struggled with injuries, they have had a chance to win Super Bowls. They haven't, of course, but San Francisco has reached two recently. But lately, the 49ers have been making news because of players requesting to be traded.
A lot of the issue comes from the wide receiver group. Deebo Samuel wanted a new contract, and if he didn't get it, he wanted to be traded. Eventually, he was. Brandon Aiyuk requested the same thing. Now, Jauan Jennings is reportedly seeking a new contract (likely paying him more) or a trade.
Seattle Seahawks fans can laugh at the San Francisco 49ers' most recent meltdown
At this point, one might ask if a player is truly part of the 49ers organization if they haven't asked to be traded.
The difference between Jennings neediness and Samuel and Aiyuk's is that Aiyuk and Samuel are actually consistently good. Jennings plays hard and does the little things that team's need, but he is no one's idea of a top two receiver on a roster.
He had a career year in 2024 with 77 catches and 975 yards for six touchdowns, but many of his targets came from Aiyuk's absence. The latter played just seven games last season. If Jennings is expected to be San Francisco's WR2 in 2025, that means the 49ers offense is not going to be as good.
Jauan Jennings is expected to be on hand when the 49ers' veterans report for training camp next Tuesday. However, as the Brandon Aiyuk saga showed last year, that doesn't necessarily mean the situation will be smooth and tidy.
— Matt Barrows (@mattbarrows) July 14, 2025
San Francisco did the right thing for the player and extended his rookie deal last year (Jennings was a seventh-round pick out of Tennessee in 2020), but he does not care about that now. He wants his money, whether he truly deserves to make more than his current $7.5 million a season or not.
What exactly is going on in San Francisco, where so many players are asking out? Likely, just the spoils that come with success. It happened to the Seahawks in the late 2010s when Earl Thomas and Richard Sherman wanted new deals, but a third option at wide receiver would not have been as vocal as Sherman or Thomas.
Maybe San Francisco should trade Jennings. They would not get much back in return, though. Jennings doesn't have a high value. He might learn that if he hits free agency next year. But let's hope the 49ers plan on counting him quite a bit this coming season. That would only make the job easier for the Seahawks' defense.