Reuben Foster - Pro Football Rumors

Washington Cuts S Sean Davis, Places LB Reuben Foster On IR

September 5th, 2020 at 8:16am CST by Ben Levine

Our first surprise move of Labor Day weekend comes out of Washington. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports (via Twitter) that the team has released safety Sean Davis. Schefter tweets that the team has also cut offensive lineman Timon Parris, while ESPN’s John Keim tweets that Reuben Foster is being placed on IR.

Davis joined Washington this past offseason, snagging a deal that included a $2MM signing bonus. Now, the former second-rounder will be seeking his third team in less than a year. Davis spent his first four seasons with the Steelers. He started 31 games for the team between 2017 and 2018, averaging 86 tackles, 7.5 passes defended, and two interceptions per season. A shoulder injury limited to only a single game in 2019.

Back in 2019, Foster suffered a torn ACL and MCL during his first practice with Washington. That naturally forced him to miss the entire campaign, but after opening 2020 camp on PUP, he was activated by the organization in early August. Unfortunately, Foster has lacked strength and explosiveness throughout the month, and Washington is buying themselves some time (and a roster spot) by placing him on IR.

An undrafted free agent out of Stony Brook in 2018, Parris has seen time in four NFL games.

Washington Activates Reuben Foster

August 9th, 2020 at 9:11am CST by Zachary Links

The Washington Football Team has activated Reuben Foster from the PUP list, per a club announcement. The linebacker is now on track to play in the team’s season opener.

Foster suffered a torn ACL, MCL, and LCL in his first Washington practice back in May of 2019. Foster also suffered nerve damage, further complicating an already challenging recovery. The 26-year-old only just regained feeling in his toes earlier this year, so this marks a major step forward for him.

The controversial linebacker could provide a huge boost to Washington’s front seven in 2020. He’ll also have extra motivation as he retakes the field – Ron Rivera & Co. declined his fifth-year option for 2021, putting him on course for free agency in March.

Between his suspensions and injuries, Foster has played in just 16 games since being drafted No. 31 overall in 2017. In 16 total games for the Niners, Foster has registered 101 tackles and two passes defensed.

Redskins To Decline Reuben Foster’s Option

April 30th, 2020 at 11:41am CST by Dallas Robinson

The Redskins will decline their 2021 fifth-year option on linebacker Reuben Foster, according to Les Carpenter of the Washington Post (Twitter link).

Washington’s decision isn’t much of a surprise, as there’s no clear indication that Foster will be able to play the 2020 season. Foster suffered a torn ACL, MCL, and LCL in his first practice as a Redskin in May 2019, and while he’s seen recent improvements, he’s also dealt with nerve damage, so his health status is up in the air.

Foster’s 2021 option would have been guaranteed for injury, meaning the Redskins wouldn’t have been able to cut him after the 2020 season if he was dealing with medical question marks. Clearly, Washington didn’t to take that risk.

One of the NFL’s most talented linebackers, Foster was cut by the 49ers in November 2018 following multiple arrests and domestic violence accusations. The Redskins surprisingly claimed him off waivers, and while he was initially placed on the commissioner’s exempt list, Foster was soon reinstated.

Latest On Reuben Foster

January 19th, 2020 at 4:34pm CST by Zachary Links

Reuben Foster is hoping to return to the field after suffering a torn ACL, LCL, and MCL. But, in addition to those injuries, the Redskins linebacker was also dealing with nerve damage that left him without feeling in his toes for the last several months, agent Malki Kawa tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. On the plus side – there have been signs of improvement.

“He’s got feeling in his toes, the underside of his foot, the side of his foot,” Kawa said. “The nerve is starting to fire again.”

Kawa is hopeful that Foster can participate in training camp this summer, but there’s no set timetable for his return. In the meantime, Foster is hoping that stem cell treatment and sessions in hyperbaric chambers will help him return to his old form. The road to recovery won’t be easy, but Cowboys linebacker Jaylon Smith also came back from the dreaded “drop foot,” so it wouldn’t be unprecedented.

“He’s regaining feeling and power,” said Kawa. “It shows the nerve is firing. When he moves his leg upward, he can feel around the ankle and the top part of the foot. That’s a new thing. The next 60 days are going to be big as far as getting back to normal.”

If the controversial linebacker can retake the field this year, it’ll be a major lift for the Redskins’ front seven under new head coach Ron Rivera.

This Date In Transactions History: NFL Suspends Reuben Foster

July 3rd, 2019 at 11:34am CST by Zachary Links

With the draft and the first waves of NFL free agency in the rear view mirror, the days leading up to the 4th of July aren’t necessarily a hotbed of activity. However, the league office has been known to use these slow days as an ideal time to release word of suspensions for noteworthy players.

That’s what the suits at 345 Park Ave. did on this date in 2018 when they banned 49ers linebacker Reuben Foster for the first two games of the regular season. The move, to put it mildly, was controversial – just a few weeks prior, Foster was facing jail time for accusations of domestic abuse against his former girlfriend. Had he been convicted, the club said that he would have been cut. But, after Foster avoided felony convictions, he kept his spot on the roster and the league determined that he would only miss contests against the Vikings and Lions before returning to the active roster on Sept. 17.

This was, admittedly, a tricky situation for the NFL. Initially, his on-and-off girlfriend testified that Foster had beaten her and thrown her down stairs. But, later, she claimed that she fabricated allegations against Foster and actually suffered her visible injuries during a fight with another woman.

Critics of the two-game ban were quick to compare Foster’s situation to the league’s handling of Ezekiel Elliott in 2017. Elliott was accused of multiple instances of domestic violence by a former partner, but was never criminally charged in connection to those events. After conducting their own investigation, the league moved to ban Elliott for six games.

Elliott fought his suspension, but Foster did not.

“I accept the League’s decision and am sorry that my mistakes have hurt my team,” Foster said in a statement released by the Niners. “I have a responsibility to the 49ers, our fans and our community, and I am committed to learning from this situation and making better choices in the future. The support I have received over the last five months has been humbling, and I do not take it for granted.”

When Foster was accused of abusing Ennis yet again in November of 2018, the 49ers followed through on their promise to release him. The Redskins pounced, claiming him off waivers days later and expressing confidence that he would not receive another suspension. They were right – the league docked Foster two game checks for the 2019 season but declined to sideline him for any games.

On the same day as Foster’s ban, the league also rejected Julian Edelman‘s appeal and handed Packers running back Aaron Jones a two-game suspension for a substance abuse policy violation. With the statuses of Elliott (again) and Tyreek Hill up in the air, we could see a similar torrent of news today.

Latest On Redskins LB Reuben Foster

May 31st, 2019 at 8:51am CST by Ben Levine

Reuben Foster is already on the recovery trail. Two weeks after being carted off of the Redskins’ practice field with an air cast on his left leg, the linebacker underwent successful surgery on Tuesday, reports NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (via Twitter).

It was initially thought that Foster had suffered a torn ACL. That ended up being the case, but Rapoport notes that the 25-year-old also suffered a torn LCL. Fortunately, Foster is already raising his leg, and he’s expected to be fully recovered for the 2020 campaign. While the player’s outlook is promising, it’s obviously disappointing that Foster will be forced to sit out the entire 2019 season.

The 2017 first-round pick is one of the most talented linebackers in the NFL. However, he’s also one of the league’s most controversial players due to his off-the-field transgressions. The 49ers dropped him following two separate allegations of domestic violence, and the Redskins subsequently shocked many in the football world by claiming him off waivers.

The remaining guarantees in Foster’s contract have been voided due to those off-the-field issues, but the Redskins will be responsible for his salary since he’s sitting on the IR. The linebacker has one year remaining on his rookie contract, though the Redskins have a fifth-year option decision to make by May 2020.

The Redskins released Zach Brown this offseason, leaving them with mostly late-round picks at this position. Shaun Dion Hamilton (2018 sixth round), Josh Harvey-Clemons (2017 seventh round) and rookie fifth-round pick Cole Holcomb reside on Washington’s roster. The team also added veteran Jon Bostic last week.

Redskins Place Reuben Foster On IR, Sign LB Jon Bostic

May 22nd, 2019 at 4:21pm CST by Zachary Links

Reuben Foster‘s season is officially over. On Wednesday, the Redskins placed the linebacker on IR and filled his spot on the roster by adding Jon Bostic.

Foster went down during the very first drill of OTAs and the seriousness of the injury was immediately apparent after medical staff placed an air cast on his knee. It’s a bad blow for the Redskins, who were left with only late-round picks at the position after the release of Zach Brown.

To help fill the void, the Redskins signed Bostic, who ranked as one of the best off-ball ‘backers left on the market. Bostic doesn’t offer the same upside as Foster, but he did start in 14 games for the Steelers in 2018 before falling out of favor down the stretch. Last year, Bostic tallied 73 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and three passes defended while earning average marks from Pro Football Focus.

Reuben Foster Believed To Have Torn ACL

May 20th, 2019 at 5:01pm CST by Sam Robinson

The injury that saw Reuben Foster carted away from a Redskins workout Monday appears to indeed be serious. Foster is believed to have suffered a torn ACL, along with additional damage, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (on Twitter).

This occurred on the first series of the first drill during Redskins OTAs, the Washington Post’s Kareem Copeland tweets. Foster was seen slamming the turf in agony and sobbing while being driven off of the field.

Foster will continue to see specialists in the near future, Rapoport adds, but this is expected to wipe out his 2019 season. The linebacker has one year remaining on his rookie contract, though the Redskins have a fifth-year option decision to make by May 2020.

Washington made a controversial waiver claim on Foster last season, after the 49ers cut him following another incident allegedly involving domestic violence. The Redskins were the only team to submit a claim. But Foster avoided another suspension and was likely set to be a starting inside linebacker in Washington. That future will be on hold after Monday’s injury.

The Redskins released Zach Brown this offseason and, behind Foster, have only late-round picks at this position. Shaun Dion Hamilton (2018 sixth round), Josh Harvey-Clemons (2017 seventh round) and rookie fifth-round pick Cole Holcomb reside on Washington’s roster. Foster’s setback may prompt the Redskins to gauge the free agent market for possible help alongside Mason Foster. Among the off-ball ‘backers available: Jon Bostic, Josh Bynes, Kelvin Sheppard and Kyle Emanuel.

Reuben Foster has already missed 16 games — due to either injury or suspension — in his first two seasons. By the time the 2019 campaign concludes, the former first-round pick will have missed 32 of a possible 48 regular-season games.

Redskins’ Reuben Foster Suffers Injury

May 20th, 2019 at 11:21am CST by Zachary Links

Linebacker Reuben Foster was carted off of the Redskins’ practice field with an air cast on his left leg, as Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets. Nothing is certain yet, but the air cast/cart combo suggests that this is a very serious injury and a likely season-ender.

Foster was seen slamming the turf in agony and sobbing while being driven off of the field. The linebacker, who escaped suspension for his latest round of domestic violence accusations, is now unlikely to see the field in 2019 for his new team.

Foster, a 2017 first-round pick, is among the most talented linebackers in the NFL. He’s also one of the league’s most controversial players due to his off-the-field transgressions. Foster was accused of roughing up his ex-girlfriend, Elissa Ennis, in February of 2018. Ennis went on to recant that story, but, in November, she alleged Foster of abusing her once again at the 49ers’ team hotel in Florida. The Niners dropped him soon after and the Redskins shocked many in the football world by claiming him off waivers.

The remaining guarantees in Foster’s contract have been voided due to his off-the-field transgressions, but the Redskins will be responsible for his salary if/when he is placed on IR.

Latest On Reuben Foster

April 12th, 2019 at 7:55pm CST by Micah Powell

On Friday, it was announced former 49ers and current Redskins linebacker Reuben Foster would not be suspended in connection with his recent domestic violence accusation.

Foster has spoken multiple times and met with Roger Goodell, and the NFL has viewed the video from the hotel of the alleged incident, the NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero tweets. The video was provided to the NFL by law enforcement and the NFL decided that the Personal Conduct Policy was not violated in the incident.

Following up the league’s statement, the former first-round pick issued his own statement through the team:

“I appreciate the support I have received from the league, my team, and my union to help me succeed,” Foster said in a statement from the team. “I want to thank Commissioner [Roger] Goodell for the time that he has spent with me and for his understanding of me as a person. I accept the NFL’s decision and want to say that I am truly sorry for my past actions and the people who may have been hurt by them. Going forward, I will follow the plan outlined for me and work hard to earn back the trust of my teammates, the NFL, NFL fans, and the community. I know that my success is all up to me, and I am committed to not letting you down.”

Redskins team president Bruce Allen also issued a statement, JP Finlay tweets:

“We have been very clear with Reuben that his past does not have to determine his future — but the responsibility is squarely on him to change.”