Typically, accepting an offer from another team when you are sitting on a practice squad would be a no-brainer. After all, being on an active roster means earning a lot more money.
San Francisco 49ers running back JaMycal Hasty faced that dilemma but chose to remain with his current team — the one he signed with as an undrafted free agent in April. The decision could not have been easy. There was always the threat that other teams would snatch up the talented rookie running back.
While another team can sign any practice squad player from around the NFL to its active roster, the player still has a choice to remain with his current squad. The 49ers coaching staff had to convince Hasty that he was exactly where he needs to be.
"People have tried to come for him, too, this year," head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters on Wednesday. "The guy has been committed to stay here. We have expressed our plans for him, and the guy had to make a tough decision a few weeks ago, whether to stay here on practice squad for another week or go to another team, and he chose to stay here.
"He believed he'd eventually get his opportunity. We told him we didn't know when, but it ended up happening the next week. So, he was ready, and I'm glad he's here for it."
Hasty has impressed his veteran teammates, who are glad he choose to stay with the 49ers. Fullback Kyle Juszczyk is among those who have liked what they've seen from the rookie running back. Hasty's role has increased with the absences of Raheem Mostert and Tevin Coleman. It will further increase with the loss of Jeff Wilson Jr.
"JaMycal Hasty, he has been impressive from the first day that he's been here," Juszczyk said Thursday on Good Morning Football. "Honestly, going back to the Zoom meetings back in like [May]. This is just a quiet but confident rookie who really doesn't say much unless spoken to, but a guy that never gets any questions wrong in the meeting room.
"And then as soon as we stepped on the field, you could just see the talent. I promise you -- every Thursday we do one-on-ones with our linebackers, and nobody is jumping to the front of the line to try to cover this guy. He probably has the quickest feet of the whole running back group, and it's been awesome to see him get a few opportunities these past couple of weeks."