The Washington Redskins have claimed linebacker Reuben Foster off waivers after he was released by the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday. Foster was released by the team Sunday morning after he was arrested on a domestic violence charge. The arrest was the third time he has been arrested in 2018, following a drug charge in January and another domestic violence charge in February. The previous domestic violence charge was later dropped and the drug charge was a misdemeanor for marijuana possession that were also dropped.
The Redskins' claim of Foster does not guarantee he will be a member of the team. He has been placed on a commissioner's exempt list, meaning Foster cannot play or practice with the team but can participate in limited team activities until his off-field issues have been resolved. The team claims they carefully assessed Foster's situation before claiming him off waivers. According to a report on NFL.com, four current players on the Redskins were teammates with Foster in college at Alabama and vouched for him.
Doug Williams, Senior Vice President of Player Personnel for the Redskins released a statement regarding Foster, saying, "The Redskins fully understand the severity of the recent allegations made against Reuben... Reuben will have to go through numerous steps including the full legal process, and investigation and potential discipline from the NFL, as well as meeting with counselors associated with the team before he will ever have the opportunity to wear the burgundy and gold as a player."
According to ESPN, Washington was the only team in the NFL to submit a waiver claim for Foster after his release. Foster was the 31st overall pick in the 2017 draft. He missed six games in his rookie season but had the 2nd most tackles for the 49ers. This season, he appeared in six games.
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