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The 49ers have agreed to a deal with former Giants running back Brandon Jacobs. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, who first reported the deal via Twitter, it's a one-year deal.

According to New York Daily News staffer Ralph Vacchiano, Jacobs got less than $2 million in base salary.

According to CSNBayArea.com's Matt Maiocco, Jacobs could serve as a compliment to Frank Gore. But NFL.com's Gregg Rosenthal advised readers this morning that Jacobs is only the third best running back on the 49ers behind Gore and Kendall Hunter.

Rosenthal added: "[Jacobs] won't play special teams. He's just insurance for Gore and Jacobs is being paid like it."

The 6-4, 264-pound Jacobs had 571 yards (3.8-yard average) and seven touchdowns last season as the Giants' No. 2 running back behind Ahmad Bradshaw in the regular season. He was released by the Giants after the two sides were unable to agree to a new contract.

Jacobs, 29, told reporters at the time he still has plenty to contribute.

“I feel like I can give somebody about three more years and I’m looking forward to being done after that," he said. "But right now I’m not done. I’ve still got a lot of gas in my tank and I’m ready to go. ..."

Meanwhile, Gore led the 49ers last season with 1,211 yards (4.3 average) and eight touchdowns. He has been the 49ers' featured running back since the 2006 season. Hunter served as the 49ers' backup running back last season as a rookie. Hunter carried 112 times for 473 yards and two touchdowns.

Anthony Dixon, the No. 3 back, carried just 29 times for 87 yards (3.0 average) and two touchdowns. The 49ers this offseason added veteran Rock Cartwright, but Cartwright is viewed more as a special-teams player.

According to Maiocco, the 49ers were looking this offseason to add to their stable of running backs through free agency or the draft.

Jacobs' most productive seasons came in 2007 and 2008 when he had back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons with 5.0-yard averages. He averaged 5.6 yards while starting five games for the Giants in 2010, rushing for 823 yards and nine touchdowns. In seven NFL seasons, Jacobs has 56 rushing touchdowns.

Jacobs had five carries for 13 yards in the Giants' 20-17 overtime victory over the 49ers in the NFC championship game. In the week leading up to that game, former 49ers receiver Jerry Rice, an analyst on ESPN, took aim at Jacobs.

"I feel like Brandon Jacobs is a little bit soft," Rice said. "He can't get away from a defender. This guy is 265 and it upsets me when I see him get tackled by a guy that's like 190 or 200 pounds."

Although he struggled mightily on short third and fourth down tries for the Giants in recent years, Jacobs does have a big body that defenses have a hard time stopping when it is going straight ahead.

But as Profootballtalk.com's Josh Alper suggested this morning, Jacobs’ biggest problem has been his mistaken belief that he can be effective running parallel to the line of scrimmage before turning upfield.

Alper added that Jacobs’ other big problem has been incessant complaining about his role in the offense once the Giants decided to make Bradshaw their lead back.

Presumably he gets where he stands in the San Francisco pecking order and that won’t be a problem with his new team. That doesn't mean Jacobs won't ask for more. It just means he realizes an injury to Gore is the only way he'll see significant time.

Jacobs becomes the second player off the Super Bowl champions to join the 49ers this offseason. The 49ers last week announced the signing of wide receiver Mario Manningham, who agreed to a two-year, $7.375 million contract that includes a $2 million signing bonus.