Niners OC Klay Kubiak expects Jauan Jennings to resume WR1 role: 'He sees himself as a dominant player'

Deebo Samuel has gone to Washington.

Brandon Aiyuk is still in San Francisco, but on the mend from a torn ACL.

Thus, Jauan Jennings would seem to be standing front and center as the San Francisco 49ers' No. 1 wide receiver -- again.

"I think, if you ask Jauan, he says 'I'm No. 1,'" 49ers offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak said Thursday, via team transcript, when asked if Jennings would resume the top WR role with Aiyuk's future uncertain. "And that's his mindset and that's why we love Jauan."

Ahead of the 2024 season, Jennings was firmly entrenched as the Niners' No. 3 WR and very likely quarterback Brock Purdy's No. 5 target when including running back Christian McCaffrey and tight end George Kittle.

However, availability can make you a pretty popular target.

Now with the Washington Commanders after an offseason trade, Samuel missed a couple games and turned in some of his worst career numbers. Aiyuk struggled prior to his injury. McCaffrey only played in four games.

Meanwhile, Jennings settled in and stepped up even while missing a pair of games himself.

He was a Super Bowl LVIII standout, throwing and catching touchdowns in the 25-22 overtime loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. After that, Jennings re-signed with the 49ers ahead of the 2024 season, continuing his journey with a franchise that selected him out of Tennessee in the seventh round of the 2020 NFL Draft. It's hardly been an easy road traveled by Jennings, who's been waived by the Niners and spent time on the practice squad.

However, he developed into an excellent No. 3 WR before his role increased during a trying '24 campaign for the 49ers.

He led all 49ers wideouts with 77 receptions, 975 yards and six touchdowns, and was tops overall with 113 targets. Each of those numbers were career highs for the four-year pro who more than doubled his previous bests for catches and yards.

According to Kubiak, Jennings' confidence is on high as he looks to resume WR1 duties.

"That's how he sees himself," Kubiak said. "He sees himself as a dominant player. I think you guys all saw last year when he got more chances, he played really, really well. So really fired up about Jauan."

Positives were hard to find in San Francisco's 6-11 showing last year, but Jennings taking on a bigger role might well be a boon for the 2025 squad.