Saints and 49ers Swap Recently Signed Depth Pieces in Preseason Trade

The NFL preseason is a beautiful, chaotic place where heartwarming stories go to die. Just two weeks ago, veteran linebacker Deion Jones signed with the New Orleans Saints to complete his career tour of the NFC South in his hometown. Today, he is packing his bags for the West Coast.

The Saints are shipping the 31-year-old linebacker to the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for 26-year-old running back Zamir White, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. If White's name sounds weird in a 49ers context, that is because San Francisco literally just signed him on August 12.

"Adam Schefter reported the trade via Twitter."

This is the ultimate swap of guys who barely had time to learn the stadium wifi password. But the move makes perfect sense when you look at the absolute state of the San Francisco backfield.

The 49ers are currently running a triage center disguised as a running back room. Christian McCaffrey is dealing with tightness, while Jordan James, Kaelon Black, and Isaac Guerendo have all been sidelined. San Francisco needed a warm body who knows how to hold a football, and White fits the bill.

White is coming off a brutal 2025 campaign with the Las Vegas Raiders where he managed just 32 yards on 12 carries across six games. Now he heads to a New Orleans offense that just got humiliated 34-0 by the Los Angeles Rams. If you are looking for an offensive spark, this is more like rubbing two damp twigs together.

On the other side, San Francisco gets a veteran linebacker who spent last season playing 61 percent of the special teams snaps for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Jones managed 29 tackles in 17 games last year, so nobody should be rushing to adjust the 49ers' defensive futures odds over this addition.

Still, San Francisco just hung 41 points on the Los Angeles Chargers, proving the machine keeps humming regardless of who is taking the handoffs. Prop bettors will want to monitor this backfield closely, because whoever survives training camp is going to get fed in Kyle Shanahan's scheme.

Jones will try to carve out a depth role on a loaded 49ers defense, while White gets a fresh start in a Saints offense desperate for any kind of pulse. We will see who actually makes it to Week 1 without getting traded again.