49ers, Saints Reportedly Swap Depth Pieces In A Trade Ahead Of Regular Season

The San Francisco 49ers and New Orleans Saints are helping each other to fix some depth issues ahead of the final week of the preseason. San Francisco is sending running back Zamir White to New Orleans for linebacker Deion Jones, ESPN reported Sunday. For the Saints, the trade came a few days after running back Alvin Kamara suffered an MCL sprain that will reportedly sideline him for a month.

Their running back depth was further hampered by Devin Neal's departure from Saturday's preseason game against the Los Angeles Rams. So, with the injuries, White now goes from competing to be the 49ers' primary backup running back behind Christian McCaffrey to potentially being Travis Etienne's backup with the Saints to start the season. White signed with San Francisco earlier in the offseason after a four-year tenure with the Las Vegas Raiders.

He's rushed for 736 yards on 3.7 yards per carry and two touchdowns in 45 career games. Jones, meanwhile, joins a 49ers linebacker room that has plenty of talent at the top, but not as much depth. San Francisco has Fred Warner back after he suffered a gruesome ankle injury that ended his 2025 season prematurely.

It also brought back Dre Greenlaw in free agency. However, the rest of its linebacker room is relatively inexperienced. The trade also reunites Jones with a coach he's familiar with: Raheem Morris.

Morris, who is now the 49ers' defensive coordinator, coached Jones when they were together with the Falcons from 2016-20. Jones, 31, recorded 29 total tackles with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last season. He had at least 100 tackles in five of his first six seasons in the league.