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How the Redskins linebacker corps looks with Foster cleared

By William Foley

LANDOVER, MD - OCTOBER 21: Quarterback Dak Prescott #4 of the Dallas Cowboys is tackled by linebacker Ryan Anderson #52 of the Washington Redskins in the fourth quarter at FedExField on October 21, 2018 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
LANDOVER, MD - OCTOBER 21: Quarterback Dak Prescott #4 of the Dallas Cowboys is tackled by linebacker Ryan Anderson #52 of the Washington Redskins in the fourth quarter at FedExField on October 21, 2018 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) /
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SANTA CLARA, CA – DECEMBER 24: Reuben Foster #56 of the San Francisco 49ers warms up prior to their game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Levi’s Stadium on December 24, 2017 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Robert Reiners/Getty Images)
SANTA CLARA, CA – DECEMBER 24: Reuben Foster #56 of the San Francisco 49ers warms up prior to their game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Levi’s Stadium on December 24, 2017 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Robert Reiners/Getty Images) /

Reuben Foster

Foster’s future was still up in the air, as he remained on the commissioner’s exempt lists heading into the 2019 NFL draft. One thing was clear. If he was available, Washington views him as a starter. Now that he’s been cleared, expect him to start.

Foster is an other-worldly athlete. Many pegged him as a top-five pick in the 2017 draft before failing a drug test and getting kicked out of the combine for a verbal altercation with a hospital employee. This hurt his draft stock significantly, but he was still chosen 31st overall by San Francisco.

Foster’s rookie campaign was a thing of beauty. Pro Football Focus had him rated as a top ten linebacker when on the field in the 2017 season. San Francisco entered the 2018 season with hopes that Foster would take steps to become an All-Pro type player in his sophomore season.

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Instead, Foster would get arrested and be suspended two weeks by the league. He would then go on to deal with a shoulder injury which caused his play to regress early in the 2018 season. With all of Foster’s previous success, it’s easy to believe his play would have improved as his shoulder improved, but that never materialized. Foster was arrested November 24th and cut shortly after.

Foster has had many issues over the last couple of years and is most likely on his last chance in the NFL. Washington may be the best place for him. Foster seems to naturally put himself in bad situations and surround himself with bad influences. What better way to prevent these tendencies then literally surrounding him with the captain’s of the 2016 Alabama Championship Defense he played for (Jonathan Allen, Ryan Anderson, Shaun Dion Hamilton).

Anderson has spoken about how the presence of all his former teammates has created a “family” type atmosphere. Maybe Foster can finally right the ship surrounded by a “family” that will help him to be his best, and push himself to elite form in 2019.

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