San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan have taken an aggressive roster-building approach over the past few years, but many of their recent draft trades and contract extensions haven’t worked out.
San Francisco’s missteps led to a top-heavy roster that finally tipped over during the 2024 season, and the team is now being forced to atone for their mistakes. With quarterback Brock Purdy’s market-setting contract extension looming over the team, Lynch has been forced to take a fiscally conservative approach to the offseason.
The Niners traded star wide receiver Deebo Samuel to the Washington Commanders in an effort to shed weight, while key players such as linebacker Dre Greenlaw, safety Talanoa Hufanga, cornerback Charvarius Ward and defensive tackle Javon Hargrave joined other teams in free agency.
Jordan Mason becomes latest Vikings’ addition as 49ers’ deconstruction continues
While the Niners are shedding weight, the Minnesota Vikings are accumulated talent. The Vikings have retained or added 12 players over the past week, quickly plugging holes in a roster that was already quite strong. The latest of those additions came on Saturday night, when the Vikings acquired running back Jordan Mason in a trade with San Francisco, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero. The Niners will receive a 2026 sixth-round pick and swap late-round picks with Minnesota in exchange the 25-year-old running back.
Per me and @RapSheet, the #Vikings are sending a 2026 6th-round pick to San Francisco and the team will swap picks 160 and 187 this year. https://t.co/OJkx204HN4
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 16, 2025
Following the trade, Minnesota signed Mason to a two-year, $12 million deal with $7 million in guaranteed money. He’ll be expected to serve in a complementary role with incumbent starter Aaron Jones, who signed a two-year, $20 million extension with the team last week. The 30-year-old set career highs in touches (306), carries (255) and offensive snaps (700) in his first season with the Vikings, per ESPN’s Kevin Seifert. After making a multi-year commitment to the veteran running back, Minnesota may not be as keen to run him into the ground.
Mason emerged as one of the league’s top rushers in Kyle Shanahan’s friendly scheme. Mason started San Francisco’s first six games with star running back Christian McCaffrey sidelined by an Achilles injury, and he tallied a career-high 789 yards and three touchdowns on 153 carries. The third-year running back’s lackluster receiving ability limited the Niners, and he ultimately finished the season on injured reserve.
Minnesota finished the 2024 season with a 14-3 record, but they were eliminated from the playoffs in their opening wild-card game. Following the loss of quarterback Sam Darnold, the Vikings will now have to rely on second-year quarterback JJ McCarthy, who was selected with the No. 10 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. The Michigan product remains an unknown variable, but the Vikings will have to surround him with as many talented pieces as possible if they want to replicate last season’s success.