The San Francisco 49ers and New Orleans Saints pulled off one of those rare player-for-player NFL trades late Sunday night, with running back Zamir White heading to New Orleans and linebacker Deion Jones joining the 49ers. This isn’t your everyday roster shuffle, especially right before the preseason finale against the Las Vegas Raiders on Thursday night, and it tells us a lot about what both teams are facing down ahead of cutdown day.
Saints’ Desperate Hunt for Healthy Bodies at Running Back
Look, player-for-player deals are not common in the NFL, which means something big is usually brewing. For the Saints, it’s a full-blown running back crisis. They are dealing with a brutal string of injuries in their backfield, and they absolutely needed a warm body. Alvin Kamara is likely out for the season opener, which is already a huge hit. Then you’ve got backup Devin Neal, who just went down with a hamstring injury during their preseason game against the Los Angeles Rams on Saturday. And if that wasn’t enough, Audric Estime has been battling foot discomfort throughout the entire offseason. Simply put, the Saints were bleeding, and acquiring Zamir White makes perfect sense to get them to cutdown day.
49ers Grab a Familiar Face for Their Linebacker Woes
Now, what about Deion Jones heading to San Fran? The 49ers are also facing their own injury headaches, particularly in the linebacker room. They just saw Nick Martin go down with a hamstring injury, and special teams ace Luke Gifford is dealing with a hamstring strain of his own. Sound familiar? Bringing in Jones makes a ton of sense because of his history with defensive coordinator Raheem Morris back in 2020. He can be that much-needed bridge for the 49ers until cutdown day, especially if these hamstring issues linger into the regular season. While the source notes it’s likely Jones won’t make the final 53-man roster, a practice squad stint is definitely on the table, and he could be crucial depth if those linebacker injuries get serious.
Deion Jones and the Raheem Morris Connection: A Hidden Gem?
Here’s where it gets interesting: Deion Jones had his absolute best season as a player under Raheem Morris in 2020 when they were with the Falcons. What did Morris do that year? He deployed Jones as a pass rusher, and the results were stellar. In just 85 pass-rushing snaps, Jones racked up career highs: 19 pressures, five sacks, six QB hits, and eight hurries, earning a 75.0 pass-rushing grade from PFF. Those are some serious numbers! This player-for-player deal feels like a band-aid solution for both teams, but if Jones can tap into that 2020 form, he could stick around. He could even be a huge help for the younger linebackers learning Morris’s system if the current injuries continue to be a problem.
The 49ers face the Las Vegas Raiders in their preseason finale this Thursday night. All eyes will be on the linebacker unit and how Jones integrates. With cutdown day looming, the health of Martin and Gifford is critical, and Jones’s performance could absolutely determine if he’s just a stop-gap or a surprise addition to the roster.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Niners Nation.
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