The San Francisco 49ers announced on Friday they have signed OL Dillon Day and TE Niles Paul to one-year deals. The team also announced they have released DL Cedric Thornton.
Day (6-4, 296) originally entered the NFL after signing with the Denver Broncos as an undrafted rookie free agent on May 8, 2015. After spending both the 2015 and 2016 seasons on Denver's practice squad, he began the 2017 season on the Broncos practice squad before being promoted to their active roster on October 21, 2017. He was waived by the Broncos on October 24, 2017 and was claimed off of waivers by the Indianapolis Colts on October 25, 2017. Day was inactive for two games with the Colts before he was waived on November 6, 2017. He was re-signed to Denver's practice squad on November 8, 2017 and was later signed to the Green Bay Packers active roster on December 20, 2017, where he did not see game action. In 2018, he spent training camp with the Packers and was later waived on September 1, 2018.
A 27-year-old native of West Monroe, LA, Day attended Mississippi State University (2011-14), where he appeared in 51 games (46 starts). As a senior in 2014, he started 12 games at center for the Bulldogs.
Paul (6-1, 242) was originally drafted by the Washington Redskins in the fifth round (155th overall) of the 2011 NFL Draft. Throughout his eight-year career with the Redskins (2011-17) and Jacksonville Jaguars (2018), he has appeared in 88 games (27 starts) and registered 78 receptions for 954 yards and two touchdowns.
Paul signed with the Jaguars as a free agent on March 16, 2018. He appeared in six games (one start) and finished the season with 10 receptions for 98 yards prior to being waived by the team on December 14, 2018.
A 29-year-old native of Omaha, NE, Paul attended the University of Nebraska where he appeared in 46 games (29 starts) at wide receiver and finished his career with 103 receptions for 1,532 yards and five touchdowns. As a senior in 2010, he started 12 games and registered 39 receptions for 516 yards and one touchdown, earning Second-Team All-Big 12 honors.
Thornton (6-4, 290) was reinstated by the National Football League from the Reserve/Retired List on April 15, 2019 after retiring from the NFL on August 22, 2018.
