San Francisco 49ers Cut Ties With New Playmaker Just Weeks After Signing

The San Francisco 49ers have already moved on from former New Orleans Saints running back Jordan Mims.

San Francisco announced on June 10 that it waived Mims less than two weeks after signing him. The 49ers used the roster spot to bring back running back Sincere McCormick on a one-year deal, reversing part of a late-May roster move that had briefly sent McCormick out and brought Mims in.

Mims originally signed with the 49ers on May 28, when San Francisco added him and Jermar Jefferson on one-year deals. At the time, the team waived McCormick to make room. Now McCormick is back, and Mims’ stay with the franchise is over after only a short offseason look.

That does not make this a major shake-up at the top of the 49ers’ running back room. But it does show San Francisco is still actively sorting through its depth options behind the roster’s more established backs.

Jordan Mims’ 49ers Tenure Ends Quickly

Mims, 26, came to the 49ers with prior NFL experience but not much regular-season production.

According to the 49ers, Mims originally entered the league as an undrafted free agent with the Buffalo Bills in 2023. He later spent time with the Saints from 2023 to 2025 and the Tennessee Titans in 2025 before signing with San Francisco. Across his NFL career, he has appeared in 14 games, totaling 20 carries for 70 yards and 12 receptions for 71 yards.

That background made him a logical offseason addition rather than a featured roster move. The 49ers could get a look at a back with NFL experience, a local-ish college profile and enough receiving background to compete in camp.

The look did not last long.

Mims was always facing a difficult path in San Francisco. The 49ers’ running back room is led by Christian McCaffrey, and the team has continued to add and evaluate depth around him. For backs competing near the bottom of the roster, the margin is thin. A player may need to show value on special teams, in pass protection and as a practice option just to stay in the mix.

Mims did not get to training camp with the 49ers before the team decided to pivot.

Former Saints RB Had a Productive Fresno State Career

The 49ers’ decision ends Mims’ brief San Francisco stint, but his college résumé explains why teams have continued to give him opportunities.

Mims played at Fresno State, where he finished with 3,290 rushing yards, 37 rushing touchdowns, 91 catches, 971 receiving yards and eight receiving touchdowns over six seasons, according to the school’s official bio. Fresno State lists him fourth all-time in rushing yards, tied for third in rushing touchdowns, second in rushing attempts and fifth in all-purpose yardage.

His best college season came in 2022, when he rushed for 1,372 yards and 18 touchdowns while earning first-team All-Mountain West honors. He also won offensive MVP honors in the LA Bowl after rushing for a career-high 209 yards against Washington State.

That production has not yet translated into a stable NFL role, but it has kept Mims on the league radar. The Saints gave him a longer developmental runway than most teams, and the Titans and 49ers each took offseason looks.

For San Francisco, though, the move was less about Mims’ past production and more about the present roster math.

Sincere McCormick Returns as 49ers Keep Adjusting RB Depth

The corresponding move was the return of McCormick, who had been waived by the 49ers on May 28 when Mims arrived.

McCormick gives San Francisco another experienced depth back with a different recent history. The 49ers announced that he has appeared in five NFL games with two starts, totaling 39 carries for 183 yards and six receptions for 29 yards. He has also spent time with the Las Vegas Raiders, 49ers, Arizona Cardinals, Denver Broncos and Minnesota Vikings. The team noted that he was on multiple practice squads in 2025 before signing with San Francisco again this offseason.

That makes this less of a dramatic cut and more of a running back shuffle. The 49ers got a short look at Mims, then chose to return to a player they had already rostered earlier in the offseason.

Still, for Mims, the timing matters. Being waived before training camp limits his chance to force his way into a competition in San Francisco, though his Saints background, Fresno State production and special teams potential could help him land another opportunity elsewhere.

For the 49ers, the message is straightforward: the back end of the running back room is still unsettled, and the team is not waiting until camp to keep making changes.