Fooch's Note: Matt Barrows reporting it's a seventh round pick.
Baltimore Sun writer Aaron Wilson is reporting the 49ers have traded special teamer and safety Colin Jones to the Carolina Panthers. Although Wilson does a lot of work around the Baltimore Ravens, he has become a huge force in breaking news, and is a reliable source of information. I highly recommend following him on Twitter @RavensInsider.
There is no word on what the 49ers got, although it's safe to say it won't be a particularly high pick. Like a seventh at best. If they have ended up with a pick in next year's draft, that potentially bumps their 2013 draft pick haul to as many as 14 picks depending on compensatory picks. The 49ers drafted him in the sixth round of the 2011 NFL Draft and he quickly proved himself as a special teams force. He was listed as a safety, but saw no time there last year, and was pretty far down the depth chart this year.
Why would the 49ers make this move? Tre9er made a good point on Twitter about how this could set up Darcel McBath or Michael Thomas to make the roster as a special teamer. This would allow the 49ers an opportunity to further develop a safety who brings a bit more to the table on defense than Jones did. We'll find out more this evening with roster cuts, but that would not surprise me at all.