SANTA CLARA — It’s still wait-and-see on wide receiver Jauan Jennings, but 49ers general manager John Lynch conceded for the first time his absence isn’t necessarily just because of his calf injury.
“Two things can be true,” Lynch told reporters Wednesday during a press conference alongside coach Kyle Shanahan. “He wants a new contract and he’s got a hurt calf. I think people want to assume one or the other.”
Lynch also said for the first time Jennings had requested a trade, although he didn’t specify when.
“A while ago he did, and we’ve moved on from that,” Lynch said. “I’m not getting into when it was. We’re not doing that.”
It’s been a while since Jennings has had another MRI to determine the extent of his injury.
“You don’t image a guy daily,” Lynch said. “If it doesn’t get better soon, I’m sure we’ll be doing more of that.”
Is there any chance Jennings will be ready for Week 1 against the Seattle Seahawks?
“We’re like everyone else – hopeful but not sure on Week 1,” Lynch said. “We’ll proceed as such. We’re working to get the best mix out there.”
In the meantime, the 49ers signed veteran Marques Valdes-Scantling and also retained Russell Gage Jr. on the 53-man roster, to go along with Ricky Pearsall Jr., Skyy Moore and Jordan Watkins. The 49ers also added Robbie Chosen, Malik Turner and seventh-round draft pick Junior Bergen to the practice squad.
Gage’s signing will not be official until Thursday as the 49ers need to make a corresponding move.
Other news from the approximately 20-minute press conference before the 49ers took the field for practice:
— Left guard Ben Bartch (elbow) and right guard Dominick Puni (knee) look to be on track to be in the lineup Week 1 against Seattle on Sept. 7.
“We’re optimistic about it,” Shanahan said. “We’re trending in the right direction but we won’t know until next week. We got Bartch out last week and we hope to get Puni out for Monday’s practice, and we’re on course for that.”
— Lynch defended place kicker Jake Moody, who missed an extra point and flubbed a kickoff in a 30-23 win over the Los Angeles Chargers in the preseason finale.
“Jake had a really good preseason,” Lynch said. “I found it interesting after a hell of a game in Las Vegas, a lot of people had questions. I guess when you have a season like he did last year, those things are going to be there until you kind of put that away.”
— Slot corner Upton Stout was back on the field Wednesday after missing time with a calf injury. In the meantime, Chase Lucas has made a bid at that position with some energetic playmaking.
— Jordan Jefferson, the second-year defensive tackle who was a waiver claim from Jacksonville, was a fourth-round draft pick, was under consideration by the 49ers at the time of the 2024 NFL Draft.
“We felt it was a chance to upgrade our group, a guy we liked way back to his college days at LSU,” Lynch said. “When we put the whole group together, I think we like it. And there’s versatility. Guys who can move inside, rush inside, and a fun group to work with.”
— Lynch recognized that while the 49ers lost a lot of players in free agency, he likes what he sees with the younger version of the 49ers.
“Sometimes there’s roster mechanics that go on,” Lynch said. “Like Kyle said, it’s never a final 53 and I’m sure it will be fluid, but we like our final group of guys. It never stays static.”
— Shanahan said he’s comfortable with the roster after the unease of free agency departures such as Javon Hargrave, Leonard Floyd, Maliek Collins and others. Of the 49ers’ 11 draft picks, 10 are on the 53-man roster with Bergen on the practice squad.
— It was a minor surprise when undrafted free agent Sebastian “Hulk” Valdez did not make the 53-man roster, but he cleared waivers and was at practice with the defensive linemen after signing to the practice squad.
With two practice squad players eligible to be promoted to the 53-man roster each week, Shanahan doesn’t differentiate between those players and the 16-man practice squad.
“There’s no difference to me,” Shanahan said. “I know for those guys there’s a difference because it’s a different paycheck, which I fully understand. But Sebastian is part of our team and I’m glad we don’t lose him, and I plan on him continuing throughout the year, and there’s probably going to come a time this year where we’re going to need him.”
The one undrafted free agent to make the 53-man roster was Drew Moss, a guard/center from Colorado State.
“We lost a lot of our team that day and we didn’t sign a bunch of guys,” Shanahan said. “The draft makes you feel better because you fill up some of those holes, but you’re not going to feel good until you actually see those guys make your team and play.”
— Although the move is not yet official, Shanahan said the 49ers are bringing in Adrian Martinez (6-2, 220) as a practice squad quarterback. Martinez, who played collegiately at Nebraska and Kansas State. In five college seasons (four at Nebraska, the last year at Kansas State), Martinez completed 63.6 percent of his passes (788-for-1,239) for 9,752 yards, 51 touchdowns and 31 interceptions.
-A couple of number changes: Running back Brian Robinson from No. 30 to No. 3, Moore from No. 6 to No. 9. Jefferson was issued No. 96.
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