49ers’ Jimmy Garoppolo: We’ve got to find ways to get the ball in Jauan Jennings’ hands

Jauan Jennings only caught two passes for 45 yards, but the 25-year-old San Francisco 49ers wide receiver is proving to be a valuable offensive weapon for quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.

Jennings bullied his way toward the end zone on a 32-yard reception to set up a San Francisco touchdown in the third quarter of Sunday's game against the Carolina Panthers. The 49ers went on to win 37-15.

Garoppolo is hoping the 49ers find ways to involve Jennings more on offense as the season progresses.

"He's dangerous when he gets the ball in his hands, man," Garoppolo told reporters after the game. "I was telling some of the guys, 'We've got to just get the ball in his hands. It doesn't even matter how we do it.' He's kind of our third-down specialist right now.

"He makes those big plays, and they just can't tackle him. He's a big body out there, and he runs with purpose, that's for sure."

San Francisco made Jennings a seventh-round draft pick in 2020. He didn't play during his rookie season but caught 38 targets for a career-high 282 yards and five touchdowns in 2021. The 6-foot-3, 212-pound receiver has recorded 10 receptions for 138 yards this season, nearly half his receiving yards total last season.

After the game, a reporter asked Deebo Samuel if Jennings could serve as another "wide back" for the 49ers.

"I think so, even though I got on him about when he caught the ball going across the middle, and he's running down the sideline," Samuel responded. "It's kind of like he was just ready to get tackled and let them push him out of bounds. I think he had a little extra in him; he could have scored."

Samuel joked, "I think he made the right decision [on the run], but once he got to the sideline, I think he was just out of gas a little bit."