Despite receiving the second-round RFA tender from the 49ers this week, Jordan Mason will not play in San Francisco next year. The fourth-year running back has been traded to the Vikings, per his agency (via Ian Rapoport of NFL Network).
As part of the deal, Mason has agreed to a two-year Vikings contract, Rapoport notes. The pact has a maximum value of $12MM and includes $7MM guaranteed at signing. Per Rapoport and colleague Tom Pelissero, the trade consists of a 2026 sixth-round pick being sent from Minnesota to San Francisco. The teams will also swap picks No. 160 and 187 in this year’s draft. 
Mason totaled only 83 carries during his first two seasons, but in 2024 he was a key member of the 49ers’ ground game. Christian McCaffrey‘s Achilles issues opened the door for the former UDFA to see notable usage, and he received 153 carries on the year. Mason’s success (880 scrimmage yards, three touchdowns, 5.2 yards per attempt average) made it clear San Francisco would look to keep him in the fold moving forward. The decision to apply the second-round tender appeared to lock him into a $5.3MM salary for 2025.
As a result, the 49ers would have been in line for a second-round pick as compensation in the event Mason signed an offer sheet with an outside team which they declined to match. Now, the 25-year-old will be on the move by means of a swap. San Francisco still has McCaffrey on the books, along with Isaac Guerendo and Patrick Taylor. An addition in the 2025 draft – which features several highly-regarded RB prospects – would come as no surprise given this deal.
For the Vikings, meanwhile, Mason will allow for more of a tandem in the backfield moving forward. Aaron Jones impressed while playing on a one-year contract in 2024, setting a new career high in rushing yards. That yielded a new agreement just before the negotiating period opened, and Jones is now attached to a two-year, $20MM pact. While the Vikings expressed a desire to keep the former Pro Bowler in the fold, they also made it clear they intended to reduce his workload after Jones handled 306 touches (the most of his career) in 2024. Mason will help achieve that goal.
The latter recorded double-digit carries seven times in his 12 appearances last year. Mason suffered an ankle sprain in Week 13, however, and the injury ended his campaign. His absence will be felt on a 49ers team which lost Elijah Mitchell to the Chiefs in free agency. Even if Guerendo takes on a larger role next season (after logging 84 carries as a rookie), at least one addition in the backfield can be expected.
Instead of hitting free agency in 2026 after playing on the tender, Mason has now secured more guaranteed than he would have received with San Francisco next season. The Georgia Tech product drew interest from other teams, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reports. Now, he will look to duplicate his 2024 success in a new environment as the Vikings aim to provide Jones with an effective complementary rusher.
Nice. Great add
I think a backup QB right now is more important
Plenty of time to get one.
Flacco not going anywhere.
WTF are we doing?!
Niners tryin to throw next season away.
I’m personally a Falcons fan but know Shannahan can squeeze a 1k yard rusher out of a potato. Getting a pick for an un-drafted FA (I think) is pretty impressive on their part. Plus Guerendo looks legit…Whole other, topic but Georgia Tech pumps out some good RBs.
Not real impressive since it a a sixth. A third then I agree.
Could. He could do that.
He won’t be able to do that with no elite fullback this year.
Cheap!!
Negative. Guerendo impressed far more than Mason did, and Mason looked good especially as an inside runner.
SF has much to do in drafting DL, OL , & LB along with big Purdy extension. I’m inferring that Purdy is not sacrificing his own payday for the team (can’t blame him, most people would) aka the Ohtani route.
Considering that, north of 50M will likely be alocated to Purdy. If less, then maybe they can get another veteran lineman. Otherwise, hope all those draft picks pay dividends in ’25 and beyond.
Some may forget, but this 49er regime started this with a young D core of Armstead, Buckner, & Warner. Time to add more along both sides of the line to supplement Williams, Bosa, and Warner.
Greenlaw departure hurt the most, but he didn’t exactly post (pardon the 2nd baseball term).
Masons per carry was actually better and there is a reason they went to him first.
Exactly! Mason is much better what in the hell are we doing!!! This is what happens when guys like Jed and Paraag step in and make moves when they don’t know crap about football!! Vikings just got a monster running back and will be a very good running back for the next 3-5 years ! Good job niners, NOT YOU IDIOTS
Were they better because early in Mason’s season, Niners were healthier on the line. If you watched games and were more impressed with Mason-we’ll have to just to disagree.
Guerendo showed more speed on outside runs; but most of his reps came without Williams. Mason impressed for sure, but seemed more like an inside, tough runner with less breakaway speed.
But last season was a trainwreck. I hope Mason well in MN.
‘Y response was the overreaction that giantsguy41
*My response was the knee jerk reaction of gianstguy41….but I get it, online many commenters have to spew off like that because that’s what they’re used to.
5.3 vs. 5.0 seems like a push to me. Guerrendo is signed for 3 more years and is a far more effective pass catcher and special teamer while Mason has stone hands and is rather one dimensional. Given his contract and role I think a pick swap and a 6th is close to fair.
Watched every snap of Guerrendos. He does not have the early vision. Mason has learn to take his handoffs and immediately locate and find holes more accurately. But he does have better tackle breaking and down hill speed plus a better set of hands.
They will draft an RB in a later round and save a little money. The return of a sixth and a 5th round pick swap seems a touch light, though.
Tanking so they can move to Vegas?
Surprised SF didn’t receive higher pick after last season.
An RFA tender coming off a good but injured year. When he got $5.3 mil gtd the writing was on the wall he would be traded which just lowers his value. Every team in the league knows the Niners are trying to retool and he would have been our RB3.
Mason deserves to be a starter since he has starter stats
The Vikings didn’t need him but for a small pick swap and deal might as well upgrade the roster
I’m surprised a team like Dallas didnt swoop in for that low of a price
Mason is better than Akers and Chandler so “need” him no. Get better because of him hopefully.
Mason seems like a good compliment to Jones. Mason can smash. Jones can slash.
Mason will absolutely take that job he’s a beast, you all will love him!
Let’s go baby! #SKOL
This clears the way for the Vikings to trade for Cam Akers during the 25-26 season – after he signs elsewhere.
Chandler may now be getting a ticket out of town.
This trade is just an excuse to draft another back in the third, just hope it’s skattebo, an actual good back
He had a second round tender and we settled for 2026 6th round draft pick and a 2025 pick swap we moved up 27 spots. What a joke! Especially when these guys, Greenlaw, Hufanga and now Mason sign for almost nothing in terms of salaries! And when Greenlaw and Mason are core pieces. The 49ers need to sell!! Cheap a** yorks here we go again!! Paraag Marate penny pinching and care more about there soccer team that’s about to enter the big league. What a joke! YORKS PLEASE SELL!!!!
The second round tender had a 5 million dollar salary attached to it. Calm tf down. They’re close to 100 mill in dead money this year. They got good draft capital, and is still early
Trade aiyuk,trade Purdy get draft picks draft QB sign Aaron rodgers ,trade cmc next year everyone wins.
If you are trading all those players then why in the world would you want Rodgers
Bridge QB, I’m guessing.
I don’t know what in the Hell the 9’ers are doing, that said, they could have at minimum tried for a 4th or 5th round pick !!
Great pickup by Minnesota.