49ers sign running back Jacobs

The San Francisco 49ers added another member of last season’s Super Bowl-champion New York Giants on Wednesday, agreeing to terms with running back Brandon Jacobs on a one-year contract.

A person with knowledge of the negotiations confirmed the deal, although the team had yet to make a formal announcement. Jacobs was released March 9 by the Giants after he failed to reach agreement on a restructured deal.

He is expected to play behind Frank Gore and could share the backup role with second-year pro Kendall Hunter.

Jacobs spent seven seasons with New York, winning two Super Bowls and beating the 49ers 20-17 in overtime of the NFC championship game Jan. 22.

The 29-year-old Jacobs ran for 571 yards and seven touchdowns last season as a backup to Ahmad Bradshaw. He is the fourth-leading rusher in franchise history with 4,849 yards, but saw his role diminish with the emergence of Bradshaw.

A fourth-round draft pick in 2005, Jacobs rushed for 56 touchdowns. He had 1,000-yard seasons in 2007 and 2008, but his carries and yardage dipped the past two seasons. He gained 823 yards in 2010, and had just 152 carries and a 3.8-yard average last season.

Jacobs becomes the second member of the reigning Super Bowl champions to join the Niners this month. Wide receiver Mario Manningham signed a two-year deal last week.

Pair accused of swindling Freeney

A financial adviser for Indianapolis Colts defensive end Dwight Freeney and the adviser’s lover have been arrested on federal wire fraud charges that allege they swindled about $2.2 million from the lineman.

Eva Weinberg, 48, of Los Angeles, and Michael Stern, 51, of Miami, were arrested last week by FBI agents who believe the couple were trying to flee the United States.

About $2.2 million was wired in nearly 140 separate transactions from Freeney’s bank account by Weinberg to Arm’s Reach Consulting, a company owned by Stern, between June 2010 and October 2011, authorities said. Freeney didn’t approve the transfers and was unaware Stern was the recipient.

Changes coming

The NFL’s new rule for postseason overtime is being extended to the regular season, too.

NFL owners passed the playoff overtime rule for the regular schedule. All games that go into overtime now cannot end on a field goal on the first possession.

Owners also have given replay officials permission to review turnovers, just as they review all scoring plays.

Not passed were proposals to have the booth official handle video reviews rather than the referee, and outlawing the horse-collar tackle made on quarterbacks in the pocket.