Could the Saints look to double-dip with the eighth pick and a free agent signing?
With the ringing endorsement of Tyler Shough, the Saints are officially in the business of building around their young quarterback with offensive firepower. Many mock drafts have New Orleans adding a receiver like Jordyn Tyson with the eighth pick in the draft.
Could the Saints look to add a receiver in the draft and in free agency? Normally, teams would just defer to younger, impact, and cheaper talent in the draft, but what if the Saints do both? Draft yourself a young stud at the position, and add a veteran to form a formidable trio of receivers.
What if that veteran is San Francisco 49er wide receiver Jauan Jennings? The feisty receiver is set to test free agency, and it's almost a foregone conclusion that the 49ers will allow him to walk. After being burned by the Brandon Aiyuk contract, drafting Ricky Pearsall, and the NFL draft coming up, San Francisco is sure to reload the position.
But what would a deal for Jennings cost? Spotrac predicts Jennings fetching a 22 million dollar per year contract, but that is highly unlikely given how he wins and his skillset. Jennings is an excellent run blocker, contested catch receiver, and weapon in the red zone, but he isn't a natural separator at the position and struggles against man coverage.
PFSN's Ryan Guthrie predicts Jennings signing with New Orleans and writes:
"San Francisco won’t fall for it again. After committing big money to Brandon Aiyuk, the Niners let Jauan Jennings walk. While his WR Impact Score (71.1) ranked No. 77, he scored nine touchdowns in limited action. Pairing him with Chris Olave gives Tyler Shough another red-zone threat."
Jennings is a tone-setter on offense with his edge and ability to get under opponents' skin, but his price tag will have to be worth it. 2014 was Jennings' best season as a professional, despite all the 49ers' injuries, and even as the clear-cut number one option failed to crack 1,000 receiving yards.
At 28, Jennings isn't exactly young either. As a reliable and steady receiver, New Orleans should definitely take a look. A potential pass-catching core of Olave, Tyson, Juwan Johnson, and Jennings is more than enough firepower for Kellen Moore and Shough.
Dealing with a few injuries in 2025 as a 49er, Jennings finished with 55 catches for 643 yards and nine touchdowns in 15 games. That will be more than enough for the Saints, at the right price.