On the same day the San Francisco 49ers welcomed back their superstar running back after an ambiguous injury-related absence, they traded a running back for some linebacker depth. The 49ers traded Zamir White on Sunday to the New Orleans Saints in exchange for 11th-year linebacker Deion Jones, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported. White is entering his fifth year in the NFL, his first four with the Las Vegas Raiders. He had just rushed 12 times for 29 yards in the 49ers’ 41-17 preseason victory over the Los Angeles Chargers on Thursday, and was competing for a spot on the regular-season roster. The undisputed leading running back on the depth chart, Christian McCaffrey, returned to practice Sunday after missing two weeks with what the team described as a “tightness,” without saying where the tightness was. Two NFL experts suggested the absence could have been related to a contract dispute. Jones, 31, has played for 49ers defensive coordinator Raheem Morris before, when both were with the Atlanta Falcons and Morris was his defensive coordinator in 2020. Jones played with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2025, playing in 17 games as a backup middle linebacker and making 29 tackles. As McCaffrey’s return from injury may have precipitated the White trade, the 49ers traded for Jones while dealing with injuries to their linebacking unit. Nick Martin and Jalen Graham have missed practice time in recent days. The 49ers will have to reduce their roster from 90 players to 53 in a week. Jones will have a chance to earn a spot with the 49ers in their final preseason game, Thursday against the Raiders.
