Reuben Foster - Pro Football Rumors

Reuben Foster’s Marijuana Case Dismissed

May 25th, 2018 at 1:16pm CST by Sam Robinson

Reuben Foster has now seen both of his offseason arrests lead to dismissed cases in a span of three days. The 49ers linebacker is no longer facing a misdemeanor marijuana possession charge after that case was dismissed, Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee tweets.

On Wednesday, it was determined Foster would not face a felony domestic violence charge. On Friday, the Tuscaloosa, Ala., district attorney’s office announced the 24-year-old defender’s second-degree marijuana possession charge was being dropped because Foster completed a diversion case, per Barrows.

Foster was arrested for drug possession shortly after his rookie season concluded. He’s now in the clear for this lesser charge as well. However, while Foster has navigated some significant hurdles this offseason, he could still face discipline from the NFL. The Alabama product could be subject to suspension for the January arrest under the league’s substance-abuse policy.

Weeks ago, the 49ers barred Foster from offseason workouts, and the 2017 first-round pick’s future with the team looked bleak. But the tide turned swiftly for the talented linebacker, who now has a clear path back to the 49ers. They will surely plug him back into their first-string group after he’s missed extensive offseason time.

Judge Dismisses Domestic Violence Charge Against Reuben Foster

May 23rd, 2018 at 6:04pm CST by Dallas Robinson

A judge has dismissed a domestic violence charge against 49ers linebacker Reuben Foster, according to Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee (Twitter links). Judge Nona Klippen has also dismissed another charge relating to Foster purportedly smashing his ex-girlfriend’s cell phone as she was attempting to contact police, and reduced the weapons charge against Foster from a felony to a misdemeanor.

Foster’s ex-girlfriend, Elissa Ennis, testified last week that she fabricated allegations against Foster. After originally claiming Foster had beaten her and thrown her down stairs, Ennis admitted that her visible injuries had actually been suffered during a fight with another woman. Ennis, angry over a reported breakup between she and Foster, wanted to take Foster “down” by pinning domestic violence charges on him.

Although Ennis recanted her allegations, the Santa Clara County district attorney’s office did not drop charges against Foster. Nevertheless, Judge Klippen made “multiple references” to insufficient evidence in her ruling, tweets Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com, an indication that she was satisfied with Ennis’ re-telling of events.

The 49ers had been adamant that they would quickly release Foster if any domestic violence accusations were proven true, but that doesn’t appear to be an issue any longer. Foster will need to appear in court for his now-misdemeanor weapons charge, and is also facing a marijuana charge in Alabama. While neither offense may result in much legal action, Foster could still be subject to an NFL-imposed suspension.

Now that the domestic violence charges against Foster have been dropped, he will be allowed to rejoin the 49ers as early as Thursday, the club announced today.

Latest On 49ers’ Reuben Foster

May 18th, 2018 at 3:26pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Reuben Foster case took a major turn on Thursday when his accuser admitted she lied about the allegations of domestic violence. Elissa Ennis’ testimony will make a Foster domestic violence conviction unlikely, and as of now, it would appear the former Alabama linebacker has a clearer path back to the 49ers.

However, Foster will not be with the team when it begins OTAs. The 49ers barred the second-year linebacker from these workouts while the case proceeds and will still begin them without him, per NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo (on Twitter). San Francisco’s OTAs begin on Tuesday, and Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee reports (via Twitter) the ruling in this case will come a day later.

Upon being questioned by Foster’s defense attorney, Ennis confessed to accusing a previous boyfriend of domestic violence when he attempted to break up with her in 2011, per Barrows (on Twitter). Ennis also initially told police she’d sustained injuries in a physical altercation with another woman outside a bar, but when on the witness stand, she said this fight occurred after a road-rage incident.

Foster also faces a felony charge of possessing an assault weapon. Foster legally purchased this weapon, Sig Sauer 516, per Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area, in Alabama. But the weapon is illegal in California. Prosecution argued Foster had not safely stored this weapon, with Ennis directing law enforcement to a bathroom floor where it was located. This charge could end up being dropped to a misdemeanor, per Maiocco.

Additionally, Foster is still facing a second-degree marijuana possession charge in Alabama after being arrested in January. Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets that Foster is due in court June 20 for this less misdemeanor charge.

Reuben Foster’s Accuser Says She Lied

May 17th, 2018 at 12:38pm CST by Zachary Links

Reuben Foster’s accuser recanted her claims in court on Thursday, as Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group tweets. The ex-girlfriend of the 49ers linebacker says he did not hit her once and adds that she actually struck him.

“I was threatening Reuben. … that I was going to [expletive] up his career,” Foster’s ex-girlfriend Elissa Ennis said.

When asked about why she dialed 911 three times, she responded, “I wanted to be extra. I wanted him to go down. I was pissed.” She went on to explain that she falsified claims about Foster as a part of “a money scheme.”

“It was all a money scheme. I didn’t want to get this far in the news. It was about money,” said Ennis on the stand.

After Foster’s arrest in February, Ennis says she bolted home for Louisiana and took Foster’s money and jewelry with her. Ennis’ injuries from around that same time were submitted as a part of the prosecution’s case against Foster, but she now says those were caused by a fight with another woman or two women in a road rage incident in San Francisco (Twitter link via Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area). A portion of the road rage fight was posted on Instagram, but has since been flagged and deleted.

Recently, 49ers GM John Lynch said that Foster would be released if it was found that he struck Ennis. However, if Foster is cleared of the charges without conclusive evidence of abuse, he’ll remain in SF. Right now, the odds of a conviction are looking slim.

“We do feel like patience is the right approach right now, that we are going to learn things through this legal process,” Lynch said. “But I do want to be very clear, abundantly clear, that if these charges are proven true, that if Reuben did indeed hit this young lady, he won’t be part of our organization going forward.”

Reuben Foster’s Ex-Girlfriend To Testify Thursday

May 15th, 2018 at 7:16pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Reuben Foster‘s ex-girlfriend is prepared to recant her allegations against the 49ers linebacker in court on Thursday, according to Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee.

Elissa Ennis had previously maintained that Foster hit her 10 times and dragged her down stairs, but changed her story in late April, indicating that her injuries were the result of a fight with another woman. Ennis suffered a swollen lip and ruptured eardrum as a result of said fight, and Foster was subsequently charged with three felonies. Foster pleaded not guilty to all charges, and a preliminary hearing is scheduled for Thursday.

The Santa Clara Count District Attorney’s office had previously vowed to forge ahead with its original charges, but that course of action would presumably become much more difficult if its victim publicly retracts her claims against Foster. The 49ers, for their part, have been adamant that if the allegations are proven true, Foster will be quickly released.

Per Barrows, Foster could still be in hot water in given that he was in possession of an assault rifle, and prosecutors could choose to go forward with gun charges even if the domestic violence charges are dismissed. However, a judge may also choose to reduce those gun charges from a felony to a misdemeanor.

49ers’ Reuben Foster Pleads Not Guilty

May 8th, 2018 at 11:59am CST by Zachary Links

49ers linebacker Reuben Foster has pleaded not guilty to three felony charges stemming from his alleged domestic incident, as Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com tweets. Foster’s trial is now set to begin on May 17.

Both Foster’s freedom and football future hang in the balance in the upcoming trial. If convicted, the Alabama product could serve up to eleven years in prison. Meanwhile, the Niners say they’ll cut Foster if he is found guilty of striking a woman.

“We do feel like patience is the right approach right now, that we are going to learn things through this legal process,” GM John Lynch said recently. “But I do want to be very clear, abundantly clear, that if these charges are proven true, that if Reuben did indeed hit this young lady, he won’t be part of our organization going forward.”

Two weeks ago, Foster’s accuser recanted her claim, which could make it more difficult for the prosecution to land a conviction in his case. Still, the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s office has vowed to forge ahead. For the time being, Foster has been barred from participating in team activities.

On the field, Foster has been a solid contributor for the Niners. As a rookie last year, he recorded 72 total tackles in ten games (all starts). In November, he earned NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month honors.

Latest On 49ers LB Reuben Foster

April 25th, 2018 at 8:21pm CST by Ben Levine

Earlier this month, we heard that 49ers linebacker Reuben Foster is facing multiple felony charges and one misdemeanor in relation to a February domestic violence incident. However, Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area reports that the victim has recanted her claim.

Elissa Ennis, Foster’s former girlfriend, released a statement through her attorney stating that the linebacker did not cause her injuries earlier this year. Rather, the injuries were a result of a fight with another woman. Foster intended to end their relationship after learning after the fight, and Ennis followed through in her threat to “trash his career.”

“(Foster) did not strike her, injure her or threaten her,” attorney Stephanie Rickard told Maiocco.

This doesn’t necessarily mean Foster’s off the hook. As Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group tweets, the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s office has already said that they’d prosecute the NFL player even if the victim didn’t cooperate. As Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com notes, Foster is also facing a felony charge for possessing an assault weapon, which would seemingly be unrelated to the assault case. The NFL is conducting its own investigation, and they could ultimately choose to punish Foster.

The 49ers have already barred Foster from participating in their offseason program, and general manager John Lynch said he’d release the player if the allegations proved to be true.

“We do feel like patience is the right approach right now, that we are going to learn things through this legal process,” Lynch said (via Maiocco). “But I do want to be very clear, abundantly clear, that if these charges are proven true, that if Reuben did indeed hit this young lady, he won’t be part of our organization going forward.”

NFC West Notes: Seahawks, Thomas, 49ers

April 22nd, 2018 at 7:07pm CST by Sam Robinson

Despite the Seahawks expecting Earl Thomas not to hold out, they still have him on the trade block, John Clayton of ESPN said during a radio appearance with KESN in Dallas (via the Dallas Morning News). Clayton added that the Seahawks would likely be willing to move their three-time All-Pro safety for less than a first-round pick, indicating they would probably trade Thomas for a package featuring second- and fourth-round selections and perhaps something in the 2019 draft. Clayton indicates the Cardinals could use a free safety but that the Seahawks were not going to trade Thomas to an NFC West team. The Cowboys moving Byron Jones to cornerback would open a spot there, and Thomas was vocal about being receptive to a Dallas deal, and they strike Clayton as the top suitor for the 28-year-old defender’s services.

Here’s the latest from Seattle, along with other West-division locales, heading into draft week:

Pete Carroll said this week the door wasn’t closed between the Seahawks and Colin Kaepernick, but Clayton said this partnership will be unlikely. The longtime ESPN reporter added the Seahawks did work out Kaepernick last year when he visited but did not offer him a contract because Carroll exited the interview with the impression the former 49er still wanted to be an NFL starter rather than a backup.
The 49ers covered their linebacker bases this week. After hosting Roquan Smith on a top-30 visit, they welcomed Tremaine Edmunds to the Bay Area for a 30 summit, Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee reports. The 49ers scheduled the Smith and Edmunds visits weeks ago and not in light of the charges levied against Reuben Foster, per Barrows.
Foster’s plea hearing is scheduled for Monday, April 30, and Barrows reports that if no delays occur, jury selection for this case would transpire in late July. With the 49ers barring Foster from their workouts until this matter is resolved, that’s going to essentially nullify the second-year linebacker’s offseason. However, the alleged victim has hired representation, which could cloud this case.
The Cardinals visited Texas A&M wide receiver Christian Kirk recently.

NFC Notes: Packers, Rodgers, Cardinals, Foster

April 21st, 2018 at 6:59pm CST by Ryan Posner

The Packers could target an upgrade at inside linebacker in the form of Georgia’s Roquan Smith or Virginia Tech’s Tremaine Edmunds. But as Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel points out, the team would likely have to trade up from its No. 14 overall pick to land either of the players.

The Raiders are certainly players for Smith at No. 10 and if the Buffalo trades up from its No. 12 pick, that could also complicate matters.

Silverstein identifies two possible trades. The team could swap its first -and third-round picks for the 49ers’ No. 9 overall pick, also giving the Niners the 70th, 74th and 76th overall picks in the draft. Green Bay could also go after the Dolphins’ No. 11 overall pick.

A few other areas of need for the Packers include cornerback and a pass-rusher. But Silverstein notes it would be nice for the team to be able pair another three-down inside linebacker with more coverage ability than Blake Martinez.

Here’s more from around the NFC:

Sticking with the Packers, the Milwaukee Bucks announced at their playoff game Friday that quarterback Aaron Rodgers had purchased a minority stake in the team’s ownership group. The Bucks pointed out that he’s the only active NFL with an ownership stake in an NBA team. ESPN’s Rob Demovsky goes into more detail on the motivation for Rodgers to make the move.
Cardinals coach Steve Wilks announced that his linebacking corps for the upcoming season will include Deone Bucannon, Josh Bynes and Haason Reddick, according to ESPN’s Josh Weinfuss.
Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee provides an update on 49ers linebacker Reuben Foster and his domestic violence charges. The charges stem from a February incident with Foster and his girlfriend at his Los Gatos, Calif., home in February. Barrows reports that the victim in the case has hired an attorney, which could signal she doesn’t plan to cooperate with the prosecution.

West Rumors: Raiders, Bradford, Donald

April 19th, 2018 at 8:07pm CST by Sam Robinson

Although the Raiders have signed a slew of veterans in free agency this year, they are still in need of help at linebacker. And they may be hoping a run on quarterbacks helps bring Roquan Smith to them at No. 10. They may not be willing to trade up for the Georgia-honed linebacker, however.

“Roquan Smith is the guy. I don’t know that they would be willing to give away additional picks later to go up and get him, but he’s the guy they want,” ESPN’s Todd McShay said, via Matt Kawahara of the San Francisco Chronicle. “… There’s a lot of love for Roquan Smith in that building.”

While NaVorro Bowman has been connected to the Raiders for months as a re-sign candidate, he remains a free agent. The Silver and Black signed Tahir Whitehead, and he’ll likely start at one of their second-level spots, with Kyle Wilber and Emmanuel Lamur in line to supply depth. But a long-term cog looks to be on the agenda as this draft approaches. The Raiders have not selected a first- or second-round linebacker who plays off the ball during the Reggie McKenzie regime, with Rolando McClain (Round 1, 2010) being the most recent such investment. Of course, McKenzie ceded some power to Jon Gruden this offseason.

However, the 49ers are a possible Smith suitor as well — with Reuben Foster facing possible prison time and Malcolm Smith coming off a season-ending injury — and met with Smith this week. He also visited with the Colts and Bears, each holding top-eight picks, in April.

Here’s the latest from the West divisions:

McShay’s also heard Tremaine Edmunds and Vita Vea‘s names linked to the Raiders. With four quarterbacks possibly set to go off the board before the Silver and Black’s selection window opens, they could have their pick of these three prospects.
While the Cardinals are going to ease Sam Bradford into action this offseason, Steve Wilks likes the early form the would-be starter is in. “I didn’t see anything (bad) out of his knee. Not one thing,” Wilks said, via Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com. “Nothing is wrong with his knee. I thought he threw the ball well, ball-handling, he handed the ball off, rolled out, bootleg, all those things. He’s doing everything we ask him to do. We just want to make sure we don’t put too much on him too soon.” Bradford wore a brace on his troublesome left knee early in the week before shifting to a sleeve, per Urban.
Sean McVay is encouraged by the early dialogue the Rams are having with Aaron Donald. The team did not expect Donald, a holdout until September last year, to report to the first phase of its offseason program as he seeks a landscape-altering contract. “We feel good about the dialogue that has existed,” McVay said this week. “This is a voluntary offseason program with where we’re at. You know he’s a guy who’s going to work hard on his off-time, and that’s kind of where we’re at.” The Rams sound like they’re on the verge of authorizing a record contract for the reigning defensive player of the year.
Maurice Hurst visited the Raiders on Monday, Scott Bair of NBC Sports Bay Area notes. Adding the Raiders are “hell bent” on strengthening their interior pass rush, which has been a trouble spot for a while now, Bair identifies the Michigan defensive tackle as a candidate for Oakland’s Round 1 choice it the team trades down from its No. 10 slot.
Foster’s in a world of trouble for an alleged domestic violence incident earlier this year, facing three felony charges, but the 49ers linebacker saw a misdemeanor charge dropped this week. Foster won’t face a charge for the possession of a large-capacity ammunition magazine, the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s office announced (via Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle).