It would appear that safety Johnathan Cyprien had a change of heart. He was among the 16 players signed to the San Francisco 49ers practice squad on Sunday.
Cyprien was asked during training camp if he would consider signing to a practice squad, should he not make the 53-man roster.
"To be honest with you, no," he responded. "I wouldn't be on the practice squad."
Maybe Kyle Shanahan was able to convince Cyprien to reconsider. The 49ers head coach was asked about the safety's comments shortly after they were made.
"I think one of the hard things with practice squad is the stigma of what those words are, practice squad," Shanahan said. "Practice squad to me is that sometimes it's one injury away from playing. You have some guys on our team that don't really have a backup at their position, or it might seem like you have a group of five people, but your guy on practice squad, there might be one of your five guys, whether it's a DB, whether it's a corner, whether it's a tight end, whether it's an O-Lineman, whoever it is that one of those guys gets hurt and your guy on practice squad does exactly what they do. So, it's not like they're your sixth option. They're your second option, depending on if this one guy gets hurt."
General manager John Lynch was glad that Cyprien opted to join the 49ers practice squad.
"[Cyprien's comments] made me a little nervous, but I also, at the same time, said I wouldn't want someone that was just OK with just making a practice squad," Lynch told reporters via a conference call on Sunday. "He competed hard, as all these guys did, to try to be a part of the 53, and I think it speaks to the person he is that that was a tough pill to swallow for him. But in the end, I think he saw a unique opportunity here."
The 49ers on Sunday announced the following practice squad signings.
- WR River Cracraft
- S Johnathan Cyprien
- DL Darrion Daniels
- OL Hroniss Grasu
- TE Chase Harrell
- CB Tim Harris Jr.
- RB JaMycal Hasty
- FB Josh Hokit
- WR Jauan Jennings
- CB Dontae Johnson
- DL Dion Jordan
- S Jared Mayden
- OL Dakoda Shepley
- OL William Sweet
- LB Joe Walker
- WR Kevin White