The San Francisco 49ers have traded star running back Jordan Mason to the Minnesota Vikings in the latest shock offseason NFL move.
Mason was the Niners’ lead back in 2024 due to Christian McCaffrey’s Achilles injury, but he has now been let go to bolster a very active Vikings roster.
Over the last week, the Vikings either re-signed or acquired 12 different players in an attempt to improve a team that finished 14-3 in the regular season but bombed out of the playoffs at the first hurdle.
Mason has agreed to a two-year, $7million fully guaranteed contract in Minnesota, which could rise to $12m if he meets various incentives.
As part of the deal, the 49ers will receive a 2026 sixth-round pick, and the two teams have also swapped picks 160 and 187 in this year’s NFL Draft.
Mason will pair with the experienced Aaron Jones in the Vikings running back room, who last week agreed to return on a two-year, $20m deal.
Jordan Mason has been traded from the San Francisco 49ers to the Minnesota Vikings
Mason enjoyed a breakout year for the Niners in 2024, in the absence of Christian McCaffrey
ESPN report that Minnesota had prioritized finding Jones some backfield partners to share the load, after he recorded a career-high number of carries (255) in 2024.
Mason was one of the NFL’s lead rushers last season, racking up a career-high 789 yards on 153 attempts with three touchdowns.
He ended the season on injured reserve with a high ankle sprain, which forced him to miss the final five games of the Vikings’ campaign.
Mason’s exit from San Francisco is likely to leave the team needing to dig back into the running back market themselves.
As it stands, McCaffrey is backed up by Isaac Guerendo and Patrick Taylor Jr, with only the latter not in the process of recovering from a knee injury.
