Veteran safety Johnathan Cyprien had no interest in filling a spot on the 49ers’ practice squad early in training camp.
But his mind changed when that became his only option.
The 49ers on Saturday cut Cyprien, who spent five NFL seasons as a starter with Jacksonville and Tennessee.
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San Francisco kept Marcell Harris and Tarvarius Moore as the backups to starters Jimmie Ward and Jaquiski Tartt.
This year, due to new regulations put into place for NFL teams to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic, practice squads were expanded from 10 to 16. In addition, six players are allowed to have any level of experience.
The 49ers announced their practice squad on Sunday morning.
Cyprien previously said he was not interested in the practice squad. He clearly had his sights sent on making the team's 53-man roster upon reporting to training camp in Santa Clara this summer.
San Francisco 49ers
“It made me a little nervous, but also at the same time, I wouldn’t want someone who was just OK with just making a practice squad,” Lynch said of Cyprien.
“He competed hard, as did all these guys did to be a part of the 53.”
Cyprien has earned approximately $19 million during his seven-year NFL career. He was scheduled to make $910,000 if he made the 49ers’ 53-man roster this season. If he remains on the practice squad for the entire season, he will make $204,000.
“I think it speaks to the person he is that was a tough pill to swallow for him, but in the end I think he saw a neat opportunity here,” Lynch said.
Cyprien is part of a group on the practice squad with significant NFL experience -- and the ability to comfortably step into a game situation at any point in the season.
The veteran group on the 49ers' practice squad includes former first-round draft picks defensive end Dion Jordan and receiver Kevin White, as well as cornerback Dontae Johnson, center Hroniss Grasu and linebacker Joe Walker.
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“I’m really excited about the group we kept, both in young, developmental players and these vets who entrusted us as a place they want to be,” Lynch said.
“We tried to create some flexibility and options in the case of injury, in the case of positive COVID tests. Hopefully, we’re done with those, but you have to prepare for the worst and that’s what we tried to do in how we assembled this roster.”