Jauan Jennings returns to field for 49ers practice ahead of season opener

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Jauan Jennings resumed practicing Monday after a five-week hiatus, and before he could break a sweat, he joyfully greeted general manager John Lynch and coach Kyle Shanahan in warmups, six days before the 49ers’ season opener at Seattle.

Jennings hugged his superiors after catching passes from Brock Purdy and Mac Jones, then joined Ricky Pearsall in leading the wide receiver warmups.

Afterward, in the 49ers’ locker room, Jennings deferred speaking to the media until later in the week, but his upbeat body language on the field was encouraging, and so were his actions there.

“He was out there doing his thing. I definitely noticed him out there catching a couple of passes,” rookie defensive lineman Mykel Williams said. “His presence, you just feel him out there.”

Jennings showed no signs of hindrance from a calf injury that forced him out of July 27 practice, before the 49ers even put on full pads at training camp.

Being unhealthy was one thing. Being unhappy with his contract was another, making for the team’s thorniest situation over the past month.

There was no immediate word whether the 49ers granted Jennings’ request to revise his contract, which is set to expire after this season. Drew Rosenhaus, Jennings’ agent, declined to comment.

“Everybody in their career is going to have a standoff of some sort,” said left tackle Trent Williams, a year removed from his own Week 1 arrival following a contract breakthrough.

“I just try to not worry about it, let the two parties work it out,” Williams added. “Obviously, Jauan is one of the best players on our team, so having him out there is really important. There’s a business side to it. Let it work out.”

Lynch stated last week that Jennings, 28, had issued a trade request at one point in this contract impasse: “He asked for it and we’ve moved on. We’re not doing that, so we’re moving forward.”

Jennings has not spoken to reporters since last season, and a league source confirmed before training camp that the fifth-year receiver had requested a raise or a trade.

Jennings reported on time and took the field for the 49ers’ four training camp practices, then he aggravated a calf injury that caused him to miss camp last year, according to Shanahan. He is in the second year of a two-year, $15.39 million contract extension.

Lynch said last week that “both things can be true, you know: 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.”

The 49ers have compiled a makeshift corps of receivers, seeing how they’re without Brandon Aiyuk for at least another month (knee rehabilitation) and Demarcus Robinson for the first three games (NFL suspension). Skyy Moore and Marquez Valdes-Scantling recently arrived as replacements, and former 49er Kendrick Bourne came in Monday for a free agent workout.

Others on the 53-man roster are Pearsall, Russell Gage Jr., and Jordan Watkins, the latter of whom remains out from an Aug. 9 high-ankle sprain. Valdes-Scantling and Robbie Chosen are on the practice squad and in line for potential Week 1 promotions.

As the 49ers huddled up before Monday’s one-hour “bonus” practice, Jennings was greeted with a caring headbutt and handshake from linebacker Fred Warner.

Last year, Aiyuk nearly got traded before accepting a four-year, $120 million contract, after not practicing in training camp or the preseason. Once Aiyuk sustained a Week 5 knee injury, Jennings assumed the role of the 49ers’ top-producing wide receiver and finished with career highs of 77 receptions, 975 yards, and six touchdowns.

Puni 'on better side'

Right guard Dominick Puni missed only one snap in his rookie season, and his return to practice Monday signified he won’t miss Sunday’s opener because of an Aug. 16 right-knee sprain against the Raiders.

Puni said it “felt like something was a little off,” and he was thrilled that the 49ers’ initial prognosis was of a posterior cruciate ligament issue rather than an anterior cruciate ligament. “That was the good news,” Puni recalled. “That’s when I smiled. They said a PCL could be anywhere from three to eight weeks, depending on how you recover. I’m on the better side right now, so that’s great.”

Also back at practice Monday after dealing with knee injuries were Gage and defensive linemen Yetur Gross-Matos and Kalia Davis.

Pearsall's anniversary

A year to the day after surviving being shot in a San Francisco robbery attempt, Ricky Pearsall returned to The City and attended the Golden State Valkyries’ win Sunday, sitting courtside with teammates George Kittle, Kyle Juszczyk, and their significant others. Pearsall spoke a month ago about the mental and physical hurdles he has overcome, and his teammates continue to marvel over his mindset.

“Obviously, it does a lot to reflect on what to be thankful for,” Trent Williams said. “That’s not just a run-of-the-mill thing, going through as a citizen in America. The fact that he’s here, and playing at an extremely high level, doing what he loves to do, doing what he dreamed to do, is a blessing.”