The New Orleans Saints are acquiring running back Zamir White from the San Francsico 49ers for linebacker Deion Jones, ESPN reported late Sunday.
Both veteran players were free agents who signed earlier this month with their teams, only to be traded. The Saints could be looking for depth with five-time Pro Bowl running back Alvin Kamara expected to miss 4-6 weeks with a sprained MCL.
New Orleans signed free agent Travis Etienne to a four-year contract worth $12 million per season but head coach Kellen Moore said he envisions using a deep committee of running backs.
Jones would be reunited with the 49ers’ new defensive coordinator Raheem Morris, his coach while both were with the Atlanta Falcons.
White is listed on the 49ers “unofficial depth chart” on its website in the fourth running back group, behind starter Christian McCaffrey and four other players.
White, who turns 27 on Sept. 18, played in six games last season for the Las Vegas Raiders and had 12 carries for 32 yards along with four receptions on six targets for 24 yards.
Las Vegas selected White in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft out of Georgia. For his career, he has 198 rushing attempts for 736 yards and two touchdowns and 25 receptions for 152 yards in 45 games (nine starts) for the Raiders since 2022.
He became a free agent in March and signed with the 49ers on Aug. 12.
Jones, 31, played in all 17 regular-season games for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last season as a reserve and totaled 29 tackles. He became a free agent in March and signed with the Saints on Aug. 7.
Atlanta picked Jones in the second round of the 2016 draft out of LSU. He was third in the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year that season when he intercepted three passes, returning two for scores.
Jones made the Pro Bowl in his second year, when he made a career-high 138 tackles along with another three picks.
For his career, Jones has 761 tackles, 12 sacks, 50 tackles for loss, 24 quarterback hits, 13 interceptions (five returned for TDs), 53 passes defended, five forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries in 128 games (91 starts) for the Falcons (2016-21), Cleveland Browns (2022), Carolina Panthers (2023) and Bucs (2024-25).
Morris was a Falcons assistant coach (2015-19), defensive coordinator and interim head coach in 2020 and head coach again in 2024-25.
