49ers Jennings incentive deal in flux as injury prompts Bourne

Jauan Jennings and the San Francisco 49ers reached a short-term resolution to a contract standoff this week that cleared the way for his return to the field, only for the receiver to leave the season opener with a shoulder injury and prompt the team to add veteran Kendrick Bourne for depth. The 28-year-old Jennings, who missed most of training camp with a calf injury and had sought a new deal or a trade, agreed to performance-based incentives that raise his potential 2025 pay from roughly 7.5 million to as much as 10.5 million, his agents said. He returned to practice and was expected to play in Week 1, but exited Sunday’s game in Seattle and is awaiting further tests.

The incentives, described by Jennings’ representatives as tied to playing time, were added after the wideout declined a multiyear extension and opted for a one-year arrangement that keeps him eligible for unrestricted free agency next offseason. Team officials said negotiations resumed after Jennings recovered from his calf issue and both sides viewed the package as a workable short-term solution.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan stressed there was no personal rift with Jennings. Shanahan said he wants players to maximize...