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Source: Redskins LB Reuben Foster suffers torn ACL, additional damage

By Jacob Camenker

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) /
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The injury bug has come early for the Washington Redskins once again. This time, Reuben Foster suffered a serious injury in OTAs and will be out for the season.

Injuries continue to be a massive problem for the Redskins. This year, in the first OTA session for the team, Reuben Foster suffered a serious injury that is expected to keep him out for the season.

On the third snap of Monday’s OTA session, Foster stepped on the foot of offensive lineman Tyler Catalina while going three-quarters speed, per ESPN’s John Keim. After the play, Foster was down on the ground in serious pain. He had to be carted off in an air cast and was sobbing on his way off the field.

In the aftermath of the injury, things didn’t look good. And in a press conference following practice, Jay Gruden expressed great concern for Foster’s health.

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"[Reuben] wouldn’t be laying down unless something was wrong… Very concerning for sure."

Gruden ended up being right. After Foster’s MRI, it is being reported that he has suffered a torn ACL and additional damage to his leg, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. He will likely miss the 2019 season as a result of the injury.

With Foster now out for the season, Mason Foster will have to step up and start next to Shaun Dion Hamilton. Mason Foster is a good run stopper, but at this stage in his career, his coverage skills have regressed. Hamilton could end up being a three-down linebacker, but the former sixth-round pick only made four starts as a rookie. Having him as the top linebacker on the depth chart could be a risky move.

The Redskins do have some potential-packed players on the bench. Veteran Marquis Flowers has starting experience with the Bengals and Patriots. Josh Harvey-Clemons, a former safety, could end up playing in obvious passing situations in place of Mason Foster. And rookie fifth-round pick Cole Holcomb is a terrific athlete so he could have a chance to develop into a starter. Still, the team lacks proven players at the position and don’t have a sure-fire three-down linebacker.

Next. Five Redskins you can't forget heading into 2019. dark

It will be interesting to see if the Redskins end up signing another veteran to the roster in hopes of finding another option with Foster out. The linebacker market is thin, so finding a true replacement for Foster won’t be possible. The ‘Skins will just have to string together a bunch of role players in hopes that they can hold up without their best linebacker.

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