The San Francisco 49ers announced on Thursday they have signed WR Jaron Brown, S Johnathan Cyprien (SIP-ree-en) and OL Hroniss Grasu (huh-ROW-niss, GRA-sue) to one-year deals and DB Evan Foster to a three-year deal. In order to make room on the roster, the team placed WR Jalen Hurd on the Injured Reserve List and waived CB DeMarkus Acy and LB Jonas Griffith.
Brown (6-3, 204) originally entered the NFL after signing with the Arizona Cardinals as an undrafted free agent on May 13, 2013. Throughout his seven-year career with the Cardinals (2013-17) and Seattle Seahawks (2018-19), he has appeared in 101 games (18 starts) and registered 116 receptions for 1,563 yards and 16 touchdowns. He has also appeared in five postseason games (two starts) and added one reception for 16 yards.
In 2019 with Seattle, Brown appeared in 14 games (four starts) and finished with 16 receptions for 220 yards and two touchdowns.
A 30-year-old native of Cheraw, SC, Brown spent five years (2008-12) at Clemson University where he appeared in 50 games (32 starts) and finished with 87 receptions for 1,186 yards and eight touchdowns. As a senior in 2012, he appeared in 13 games (10 starts) and registered 21 receptions for 345 yards and four touchdowns.
Cyprien (6-1, 211) was originally drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the second round (33rd overall) of the 2013 NFL Draft. Throughout his seven-year career with the Jaguars (2013-16), Tennessee Titans (2017-18), Philadelphia Eagles (2019) and Atlanta Falcons (2019), he has appeared in 75 games (71 starts) and registered 502 tackles, 16 passes defensed, four forced fumbles, 3.0 sacks, two interceptions and two fumble recoveries.
In 2019, Cyprien appeared in four games for the Eagles and registered one tackle prior to being traded to the Atlanta Falcons on October 1, 2019. He appeared in one game (one start) with Atlanta and registered two tackles.
A 30-year-old native of North Miami Beach, FL, Cyprien spent four years (2009-12) at Florida International University where he appeared in 50 games (45 starts) and finished his career with 365 tackles, 22 passes defensed, 13.5 tackles for loss, seven interceptions (one returned for a touchdown), six forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and 1.0 sack.
Grasu (6-3, 301) was originally drafted by the Chicago Bears in the third round (71st overall) of the 2015 NFL Draft. Throughout his five-year career with the Bears (2015-17), Baltimore Ravens (2018 & 2019), Miami Dolphins (2018) and Tennessee Titans (2019), he has appeared in 18 games (13 starts) along the offensive line. In 2019, Grasu spent time with the Titans and Ravens, appearing in one game for Baltimore.
A 29-year-old native of Encino, CA, Grasu spent five years (2010-14) at the University of Oregon where he started in each of the 50 games in which he appeared and earned First-Team All-Pac-12 three times in his career (2012-14).
Foster (6-0, 215) joins the 49ers as an undrafted free agent from Syracuse University. He appeared in 46 games (37 starts) during his four years with the Orange (2016-19) and registered 234 tackles, 14 passes defensed, 3.0 sacks, three fumble recoveries two interceptions and one forced fumble.
In 2019, Foster made starts in all 12 games in which he appeared, finishing the season with 76 tackles, four passes defensed, two fumble recoveries and one sack. As a junior in 2018, he started 13 games and registered 86 tackles, five passes defensed, 2.0 sacks, one interception and one fumble recovery. In 2017, he started 12 games where he added 64 tackles, five passes defensed, one interception and one forced fumble. As a freshman in 2016, he appeared in nine games and finished with eight tackles.
A 22-year-old native of West Bloomfield, MI, Foster attended West Bloomfield (MI) High School where he played wide receiver and safety.
Hurd (6-4, 230) was selected by the 49ers in the third round (67th overall) of the 2019 NFL Draft out of Baylor. Acy (6-2, 195) and Griffith (6-4, 250) originally signed with the team as undrafted rookie free agents on April 28, 2020.
