A trade marked the conclusion of the NFL preseason’s second week. ESPN reports that a deal has been struck between the New Orleans Saints and the San Francisco 49ers, sending linebacker Deion Jones to California while running back Zamir White heads to Louisiana. This swap bolsters the roster depth of both franchises, offering crucial support for the Saints as secondary running back Alvin Kamara recovers from an MCL sprain.
It was under a fortnight ago that White agreed to terms with the 49ers, signing a one-year contract valued at $1.2 million, which placed him near the bottom of San Francisco’s running back hierarchy. Now, he joins New Orleans with an opportunity to earn significant snaps right from the start of the season. Having spent the first four seasons of his NFL career exclusively with the Raiders in Las Vegas, where he recorded 736 yards on the ground across 45 appearances, this marks White’s first stint with a different franchise.
Just days prior, on August 7, Jones had joined the Saints on a one-year agreement worth $1.3 million. Although he served as a consistent starter for the Atlanta Falcons during his initial six years in the league, his playing time has decreased over the past four seasons while bouncing between three franchises. His latest stint was with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he registered 29 tackles over 17 matchups last season.
The trade evaluations for both the Saints and the 49ers are detailed below.
Saints: B-
The setback for Kamara paves the way for Travis Etienne to solidify his position as New Orleans’ primary ball-carrier should Kamara’s recovery extend into the regular calendar. However, this creates a major vulnerability in backfield depth, particularly with several other runners sidelined. Devin Neal worsened a hamstring issue during Saturday’s exhibition match, and Audric Estime sustained an ankle injury during the preseason opener, stripping the Saints of their second, fourth, and fifth choices on the unofficial depth chart.
Bringing White into the mix should stabilize the backfield for the remainder of training camp, and he possesses the capability to handle a portion of the workload during the initial weeks of the regular season if required.
Acquiring backfield support without increasing their salary cap commitments represents a solid victory for the Saints, particularly because the linebacker they traded away was far from guaranteed a spot on the final roster. Jones was considered a potential roster cut, having been positioned on the fourth-string defense.
49ers: C+
San Francisco required additional options at linebacker with only Fred Warner and Tatum Bethune healthy, making Jones a logical fit as a third rotational piece. While he might challenge Bethune for the top reserve spot, Bethune’s experience of starting eight games in 2025 following Warner’s severe ankle injury means he remains a significant part of the team’s defensive strategy after delivering those critical performances.
Ultimately, San Francisco surrendered very little to obtain Jones, parting only with a low-tier backup who was sixth on the running back depth chart. While depleting depth behind Christian McCaffrey carries inherent risks due to his past injuries, the 49ers possess several more promising reserve options they would favor over White, who was already on the roster bubble.
Furthermore, the front office secured Khalil Herbert to offset Patrick Taylor Jr. being placed on injured reserve, ensuring the team’s backfield depth remains reasonably strong.
