Reuben Foster, a costly decision by 49ers and now a lose-lose situation

San Francisco 49ers linebacker Reuben Foster during the first half of a preseason NFL football game against the Los Angeles Chargers Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017, in Santa Clara, Calif. (AP Photo/D. Ross Cameron)

They suffer if they cut him. They suffer if they keep him.

Reuben Foster put the 49ers in a lose-lose situation.

Actually, no. Let me amend that statement. The 49ers put themselves in a lose-lose situation. They never should have drafted Foster in the first place. And they probably know it now. They have to know it.

Click here to read the rest of my column.

This article has 117 Comments

  1. You said no morality, so probably reads better without your last sentence. Leaves a bad taste. Otherwise, yeah, totally. But he’s basically a kid. Some kids learn from their mistakes and grow up, some don’t.

    Is he Aldon Smith or Chris Carter? That’s pretty much the question.

    1. Aldon Smith is clearly a severe substance abuser with that problem likely rooted somewhere in his DNA. He is also immature.

      Reuben Foster is also immature and needs to grown up.

      I don’t see Rueben’s problems in anywhere near the same light as that of Aldon’s

      The factor to keep in mind is that Grant Cohn is also a YOUNG KID that loves to write attention-getting contrarian-themed articles similar to the one he wrote about trading Jimmy G and signing Cousins. Anyone remember that one?

      He probably wrote 10-12 great articles before that -but spoiled all of them with that one dumbass article, desperately trying to portray himself as the contrarian.

      1. Hindsight is 20/20 Grant. It’s far to easy to look back after the fact, and claim that Reuben wasn’t worth the risk, but I missed your explanation as to why Foster was such a risky pick, prior to the way it’s turned out over the last month? Aside from your concerns about his shoulder, and some concerns about the diluted urine sample, and the Vape company sponsorship (and obviously weed), I don’t recall you being adamant about Fosters off-field risk, and I certainly don’t recall you having concerns about the risk of Domestic Violence or Gun Charges?

        Explain to me again why the 49ers should have known that a player who never got in trouble during his 3 year career at Alabama, was such a big risk at #31 in the draft, without having to sacrifice their original 1st round pick (Thomas @ #3) to land such a tremendous talent?

        Were you just as adamant about the Raiders taking Conley at #15, despite the fact that he was facing allegations of rape while his explanations on the matter didn’t make a lot of sense? Were you just as adamant about the Bengals taking Joe Mixon in the middle of round 2, despite video surveillance showing him sucker punching a young women, and knocking her unconscious.

        While I can understand concerns about the risk of his shoulder holding up, I simply don’t believe that a reasonable person in your position, who understands the task of balancing risk vs reward when drafting NFL prospects, and building a talented roster, is being genuine about having seen this as an high risk pick due to character concerns, prior to the last month. Again, Reuben Foster kept himself out of trouble during his entire career at Alabama. This isn’t a guy who was ever accused of any kind of violence. I think your being a little unfair.

        1. I wrote during the draft that Foster was a high-risk pick and a character concern who needed a shrink. Look it up.

          30 other teams agreed with me and passed on Foster.

          1. I can assure you that 30 other teams passed on Foster because of the shoulder, not character. You know as well as I do that teams are willing to balance risk when it comes to character, unless it’s something big, like violence, and as far as I know, Foster had no history of violence. How else do you explain the Saints willing to take Foster at basically the same spot, or the Raiders taking Conley at #15, or the Bengals taking Mixon in the #40’s, despite the video surveillance tape of him mercilessly cold-cocking a defensless young women. Sure, you have to take a history of violence very seriously. Foster didn’t have that. Conley and Mixon, and countless others over the last 5-10 seasons have a history of violence, yet teams were still willing to look the other way and roll the dice, taking the risk because of the perceived talent. And you know you can’t build a championship team with nothing but squeaky clean boy scouts.

            All I am saying is that I think it’s unfair to single out the 49ers, as if they have a different standard than most of the other teams, especially when teams like the Cowboys, Raiders and others actually go out and sign troubled FA’s with a history of violence, or try and cover up DV like the Ravens did. That’s far worse than drafting a guy who presumably smokes weed, but stayed out of trouble in college, don’t you think. It’s a long list of NFL franchises who do far worse in this department, than the Niners, IMO. Also, this is a new regime, and you know as well as I do that most NFL teams are willing to take calculated risks when it comes to talented prospects and veteran players, especially when it comes to misdemeanor infractions, as opposed to felonies. Heck, just 2 years ago, Laremy Tunsil was actually videotaped smoking the ganja, and he was drafted by the Dolphins with the 13th pick of the draft in in 2016. Sure, the weed is a problem, but come on, it’s a silly policy now, and probably going to change in the coming years. I’ll say it again ….. Reuben had a clean record during his 3 year career at Alabama. He wasn’t some wanna-be gangster, causing trouble. Reuben had issues, but nothing to suggest he’s commit DV.

            Cut em some slack Grant.

            1. A shoulder injury drops you 10 spots, 15 at the most. He dropped 30 spots. Teams were terrified of his character, because he has none. He is s character.

              1. “Terrified”, come on Grant. Were no talking about lawrence Phillips here, or Joe Mixon (17 spots later) are we? Reuben was clean at Bama, and seems like a decent kid. He smokes weed, oh boy, terrifying. The Saints sure weren’t terrified, were they? Again, was there a history of violence? Can you link it to me if you are aware of any? The Niners didn’t draft him during those 30 spots either, did they? I don’t remember you telling us teams were “terrified” of Foster, and it’s not the impression I got. Were there some “concerns” yes. Concerns don’t stop teams from drafting talented players. We’ve seen examples over and over again. Do I really need to list them all, because I can?

              2. “Reuben was clean at Bama, and seems like a decent kid.”

                You don’t know that.

                Lynch said he would have taken Foster with the third pick if Thomas wasn’t available.

              3. Mike Freeman – Bleacher Report (2/17/2018): “All teams take chances when it comes to draft prospects. They will pick a player knowing he has problems and then cross their fingers that those problems were temporary.”

                Is this not true?

                And I ask again ……. where’s the history of violence Grant? Surely there must be if teams were “terrified”?

              4. He had at least two strikes against him coming into the league. He was much riskier than most athletes. That’s not debatable.

              5. I’ll pass on your laughable ‘I knew it character issues’ because you knew no such thing. As for dropping spots, you ignore recent history with players dropping full rounds. The key seems to be whether teams feel this will be a chronic problem.

                Gronkowksi was rated a Top-10 pick. He had a back injury and dropped to 42nd because of lingering/future injury questions.

                Kyle Rudolph, a first-round talent, had multiple hamstring issues in college and required surgery that was expected to keep him off the field for at least part of the season. He dropped to #43 (Round 2).

                Others: Eddie Lacy (low Round 1 dropped to low Round 2), Myles Jack (Top-5 to Round 2), DeMarco Murray (low Round 1 dropped to Round 3).

                It’s not everyone. But there are future consideration issues around injuries that cause full-round drops for some players. And with Foster it was not only his shoulder, but the future projections of him being chronically injured. Just like those I listed above.

              6. Grant

                Then what does that do for the argument that Arron Rodgers was better than Alex Smith though being 23 picks later….?

          2. Cohn we all know if you’re youth/past was put under a microscope there would be plenty there to question your character however I am sure you were given the opportunity to right you’re ship. Rueban Foster if given this opportunity will pay off for the 49ers.John Lynch make it happen.

        2. 49,
          Grant did write about why he would not take him.
          Character was part of the reason… Nick Saban, his college coach, essentially said he needed a baby sitter. He failed a drug test at the combine (for a diluted sample). He holds the dubious honour of being the only player to get kicked out of the combine. After all of this, he then chose to go ahead with having a vape company sponsor his draft party, celebrating his entry into a profession that has banned such products.
          And then you have the injury a potential degenerative shoulder.
          He was a substancial risk, because BOTH his injury AND his character issues could take him off the field. The combination of the two likely dropped him off a few teams boards.

          1. Grant writes a lot of things. Most of them end up wrong or completely meaningless in the grand scheme of things.

            As for what Nick Saban said:

            If you’re looking for a good teammate to be on your team, Reuben’s going to be very, very good. If you’re looking for somebody to be a candy striper and be nice to everybody at the hospital, maybe not.

            And here is the whole interview:

            We never had any issue with Rueben… Etc. Etc. Etc.

            https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=rueben+foster+nick+saban+character&view=detail&mid=52D0D55983C6AABD35D852D0D55983C6AABD35D8&FORM=VIRE

            Four years of no trouble and two sides to that combine stuff… A lot different than how you, Grant & others portray Foster.

            1. Exactly Zedd. I don’t think anyone is questioning whether there was risk in drafting Foster. It’s easy to look back now, and say it was a mistake, but the 49ers don’t have the luxury of a time machine. And there was nothing in his history at Alabama that would have suggested this kid was going to commit domestic violence. If there was, I would have been the first to crow about it during the draft process. And secondly, the idea that the 49ers are somehow more lenient in the area of problemed players, or any different in how they evaluate risk, isn’t supported by the facts. Every team in the league take calculated “risks” on draft picks who have some sort of checkered past. We know this as fact, because the list prospects who were drafted despite offield issues is staggering. Again, Foster had no history of violence. Far worse, are the teams who actually pursue lawbreakers on the free agent market. There are a number of teams, and the 49ers aren’t one of them, who have actively targeted free agents who have commited far more serious “crimes” than smoking weed. How quickly, in the recent past, have players like Brock, Culliver, A. Smith, and Brooks, been scooped up by other teams after being released by the 49ers?

              1. And I remember the lead up to last year’s draft very clearly. Sure, there was mention of Foster’s incident at the combine. But the focus was almost exclusively on his shoulder. There were concerns by other team’s doctors that his rotator cuff surgery didn’t “take”, that there appeared to be daylight between the ligament and bone, and that he might require a second surgery, and could miss most, if not his entire rookie season. That was nearly the entire focus on Foster pre-draft. It wasn’t the weed that had him dropping like he did. It just wasn’t. And when a guy like Gareon Conley, who was in serious legal jeopardy for a far more serious crime, get’s draft 16 slots ahead of Reuben, or Joe Mixon, committing a brutal assault on video, getting drafted 17 slots later, how could anyone claim differently?

        3. Everyone knew his character was a concern… he had 3 public incidents just before the draft. The one time when you should be locked down

          That alone would not have dropped him a ton but couple that with his injury concerns and it made him a gamble that could pay off huge or blow up in their face.
          I think he was worth the risk at 30 but time will tell.

          1. Yep there were definitely concerns regarding his behavior and ability to stay healthy with his style of play. I don’t know how this latest arrest is going to turn out, but given what we’ve seen so far it would be foolish to rely on Foster moving forward. He seems to be the proverbial ticking time bomb personality.

            1. I agree with that rocket. This latest incident has to have thrown a wrench into the 49ers draft plans. They absolutely have to address the ILB position seriously now, as if they cannot count on Ferrari Foster. That’s why I have EDMUNDS in my first mock. He can play at any of the linebacker spots, Strong Side, Weak Side, the MIKE, or the LEO. How do you feel about this kid DARIUS LEONARD out of South Carolina? Razor opened my eyes to this kid, and he looks fantastic for the Weak Side or in the Middle.

      2. Grant I’m a fan but let me throw this out there. Rueben foster made a mistake. I think because of Ray Rice everyone assumes the worst . Maybe this chick was going crazy on him so he simply just picked her up and removed her from his home . Let’s chill give the guy a chance and go from there . I was once falsely accused of grabbing a women . The cop even believed me . But I went in handcuffs that day even though I did absolutely nothing wrong . She attacked me and I was bleeding. She found a red spot on her wrist which was probably from jumping on my back . So let’s just see what happens is my point . The guy is going to be an all pro . Has the talent to be a hall of famer. If we find out he really didn’t do much then he doesn’t deserve to have his name drug through mud by us all !!

        1. That’s because you lived a Duluth method state. In every State that is a Duluth method state, the man MUST BE ARRESTED (regardless) even if HE is the victim. You can thank virtue-signaling politicians and the chronic, dispelled (but still believed) lies about IPV from third-wave feminists for that sexist approach.

          1. Not entirely true Zedd, the idea that an officer must make an arrest, regardless of circumstances, is not true. There still has to be probable cause. Everyone involved in California domestic violence cases, from the person who answers the crisis or complaint call, to the district attorney, must follow certain procedures. The guidelines an officer must follow help ensure no further harm can occur after they leave.

            An officer will typically err on the side of caution when responding to a domestic violence call. This usually means an arrest will be made if they have probable cause. Probable cause when responding to a domestic violence call may be the belief that an assault or battery has been committed. They may make an arrest if they believe one of these crimes will be committed if they leave. An officer may also make an arrest if you have violated a standing restraining order.

            If the domestic violence incident was mutual, meaning both people harmed each other, the officer will still need to make an arrest, but may only arrest the dominant aggressor. They will have to make this judgment call based on what they can observe on the scene, which sometimes isn’t much.

            It’s true that this can result in an unfair bias against the stronger of the two, typically the male. And unfortunately, this can also occur if the allegations of domestic violence were false. But the notion that police officers responding to a possible DV call must make an arrest is entirely false.

            1. You can make an argument that, in California, police officers are encouraged to err on the side of caution, and this can result in innocent people being arrested, and more often than not, it’s the male who gets arrested, based on the notion that they are usually physically stronger than the female, and therefore they are usually considered the dominant aggressor.

              Maybe that’s unfair? That’s a fair debate to have.

              But the idea that police must make an arrest each and every time they respond to a domestic violence, or domestic disturbance call in California, regardless of the circumstances, is simply false. There must be PROBABLE CAUSE to make an arrest. That’s the law in California.

              1. Police responded to a domestic disturbance/possible domestic violence call down the street. It happened to be a neighbor/friend. His girlfriend told police that they had a heated argument and that he had made a comment about her mother, and that she responded by attempting to slap him. He was able to grab her hand, preventing her from striking him. The police de-escalated the situation while they considered arresting her. They asked if there was any history of DV between the two of them, and ran checks on their criminal history. They asked if he wanted to press charges, which he declined. The police left the scene without further incident.

                Now, I have a hard time believing that, if the roles were reversed, and he attempted to slap her, the police would have left without making an arrest. And I do think that this is an obvious double standard. But the fact is, they left without arresting anyone involved, confirming the fact that no, they don’t absolutely have to make an arrest when responding to a DV, or possible DV call.

              2. In Reuben’s case, the cops erred on the side of caution, probably in part because he’s a big, strong dude, and she is probably no match physically, and the fact that Foster had an AR-15 (no, don’t get me started on that debate) which was questionably illegal in California, and Reuben was subsequently arrested and booked upon entering the station for Domestic Violence, Making Threats, and gun charges.

                For the most part, I side with the cops. It’s a tough job, and they need to be protected. I have mixed feelings for the way the law in this case works, but when push comes to shove, if there is any question or signs of violence, and the man is usually the physically dominant person, unless she had a weapon, the dude needs to have walked away.

              3. AR-15s are not illegal in CA per say, but the rules and registration of them has changed a lot over the last year or so.

                The question becomes how did he come into possession of that gun, where is it registered, does he have a license in CA, etc etc.

                His “celebrity” may actually help him in this situation, as opposed to what you or I would have to deal with.

      3. Thanks for fixing it. I doubt he’ll get arrested 3-4 more times but anything’s possible. You’re correct we’re going to have to invest in another MLB. It doesn’t look like he’s learning from his mistakes. The guy who made Bowman irrelevant doesn’t have the common sense to keep himself on the field.

  2. Early combine rumor floating around that the Redskins might be cutting Norman. We all go a little mad sometimes.;>)

  3. It says a lot when he gets arrested this soon after his first arrest. Sad. Some guys make the transition from a troubled past/bad neighborhood background and some don’t. They should tell him this is it, one more and you’re gone. He fails, they dump him and the Raiders pick him up but what’s new?

  4. What’s especially concerning is that this may tell us that Lynch, like Baalke doesn’t just want to draft well. He wants to go against the consensus and be right when everyone else was wrong, to look like the lone genius that knew it all along.

    Well what do you know, a guy with a history of acting like a moron really is one. You don’t look like a genius when you’re the only one falling in love with a moron.

    1. Except, the Saints were willing to draft Foster one spot after the 49ers. Did the Saints “fall in love?” And how do we know that there weren’t 31 other teams who “fell in love” with Foster, and were looking to draft him early in round 2? We don’t.

  5. Not to mention drafting Beathard in Round 3, when nobody else wanted him anywhere near that high. That was really moronic.

  6. “Foster’s issues overshadow the team, the five game winning streak, the Garoppolo trade, Garoppolo’s $137 Million extension, everything”
    (Eye roll and deep sigh. )
    No, it absolutely does not overshadow all that. It casts some shade on it.
    Yes, he’s become unreliable. But why the hyperbolic bit at the end? It delegitimizes an already overwrought Oh me oh my theme that’s been thoroughly plowed here previously.

  7. Easy to second guess and, good or bad, that’s what Grant does for a living. But the reality is that we are where we are and nothing that precedes drafting Foster should matter. This puts the focus on the fundamental (and huge) difference between college and the NFL. Mistakes get a life in the NFL but in college it it is much more true that it’s next man up. Successful businesses (and the NFL is business after all) are about cutting losses and not putting good money after bad. That’s where we are. If the 49ers are truly trying to build a new and better culture, the only issue is where do they go from here. Where Foster was drafted and who was responsible for it are nothing but noise. The only issue is do they roll the dice on Aldon Smith v.2 or just say time to move on. I think that Gran’t s point that it is lose lose is correct and nothing else should matter in the discussion.

    1. I wanted to add that all that the focus on potential has given us with respect to coaches and players who have been brought on board during he York years (with the brief exception of the Harbaugh period) is a pathetic imitation of a competitive NFL team.

  8. As an old 9er fan, I see this as a very painful bee sting~it hurts, no doubt. But you don’t belabor it. Learn from it and move on immediately. This team still has way, way too much upside to let some pain get in the way. Just fill that spot, cut your losses and move on right now. If he grows up, that’s gravy. But don’t bank on it. Just move on.

  9. Whenever something goes wrong in my life I look for the silver lining, and the 49ers may have one here. Now they can draft Tremaine Edmunds or Leighton Vader Esch at 9 or 10 to play Mike (Edmunds also could pass rush). Both bigger and less susceptible to injury than Foster.

  10. Grant, I’m not so certain this is entirely on the NIners. Hindsight is obviously 20/20, but at the time of the pick it was clearly A “risky” move with a potential for ridiculous ROI. And at the time, was nearly unanimous among pundits that it was a brilliant move by the team
    You could say essentially ALL player moves innately carry risk. Whether it’s a draft pick or a free agent acquisition or even making decisions at the bottom of the roster for which player will make the cut over another. A player can get injured, or not adapt his game to the next level or new team or myriad other ways that a roster move could turn into a disappointment. There is always risk. We take a certain risk just getting out of bed and driving to work in the morning. Obviously we attempt to do everything in our power to minimize risk and increase reward. Football is no different.
    Look at the fourth down pass completion to Nick Foles in the Super Bowl. Was it risky? I would argue it was a FAR riskier move than the 49ers taking a chance on an incredibly talented playe with brasically a luxury pick
    Would the Eagles be world champs if they didn’t take that risk? Probably not. Fortune favors the bold after all.
    We took a chance. AdmittedlyIt’s not looking but it’s not like we mortgaged the future or set the team back several years. Heck to be perfectly honest I would say that if he doesn’t play another down in red and gold we DID get some return on investment in the energy he brought to a young team and the learning experience that WILL eventually come of all this, no matter how it ends. We took a chance on a guy, got burned. Let’s see if he can turn it around or it will just be next man up. Adversity builds character, we could all use a little more character

      1. I realize that you had reservations about the Foster pick. He had flags, that is indisputable. And I get where you’re coming from in this article. I just feel that you are seeing this as if all the remaining possible scenarios are lose-lose outcomes. I propose a THIRD possible out come. What if his career survives this and Foster gets his act together, learns from this and it makes him a better player, a better teammate and a better man? Would that NOT result a awin-win for team and player?

  11. The questions I keep hearing is… do you pass on players with past off field issues?
    Should there be a defined team policy of always skipping over these guys in the draft?

    Pickings can get pretty slim if you eliminate players with injury or off field histories.

    On the other hand, KC rolled the dice on behavioral risks Matches Peters and Travis Kelce. Could be luck of the draw. Could also be KC has superior personality assessment capabilities. Or a better way to assimilate rookies.

    1. Hill too. I don’t think Lynch can afford to do it again, because he’ll risk being defined by that stigma.

      1. True Razor. And Grant harping on Lynch and the 49ers for taking the risk doesn’t help the situation either. The 49ers aren’t unlike other teams when it come to taking these risks, but when you have reporters who are anxious to jump on them, and make it seem like they should be ashamed for taking the same risks other teams take, it simply unfairly hurts the 49ers franchise, IMO.

  12. I like how so many are quick to judge when we don’t even know the full details. You don’t cut a draft pick that high this fast. It’s been said before he needs a chaperone, its been done with many troubled players in the past. Not everyone is perfect we are humans who make mistakes.

    1. R&G,
      “You don’t cut a draft pick that high this fast.”
      Therein lays some of the backlash that the Org may absorb.
      Tramaine Brock and Bruce Miller were cut almost immediately following their transgression. But there were obvious signs of physical trauma on their victims that likely warranted the immediate decision handed down from the team.

      As you say, the full details of the incident will need to come to light for the FO to move forward.
      The one issue I have over Reuben’ behavior is that he has created a negative pattern for himself.
      Personally, I would like the NFL league office suspend him for 6 games (which may be a foregone conclusion).
      But because his actions caused negative domino effect on the entire 49er Org, I would love to see the FO suspend Foster for the 10 games which in effect shuts him down for the 2018 season.

      The team gets an opportunity to see if they can win without him, and hopefully Foster has an entire year to learn how to appreciate the great privilege of playing in the NFL.

  13. I’d keep him. After the NFL suspends him for six or less games, I’d put him on season ending IR. Let him get his body and mind right for 2019.

  14. Electric Eells:Nice seeing common sense here. Not a fan of any violence but I can see a scenario with Reuben showing the girl the door, helping out the door with minimal force, and her dumping everything she could to get even. Threats, guns, assault. Ever been divorced?

    1. But he still had guns that are illegal in the state of CA. And if the report of a SBR (Short Barrel Rifle) is correct, and he does not have a tax stamp, or he had one from AL and didn’t do the paperwork to inform the BATFE he was moving it across state lines, he is done. Like federal jail time done. 10 years and 100k fine. No more NFL for him if what was initially reported is true.

      1. The guns will likely only carry a fine of a couple hundred dollars as they were legally purchased and registered in another state.
        That’s at least what was reported in an AP article.

        1. Also, I believe he has sixty days to get them registered in CA. If he can show that it’s been less than sixty days, that might lower or even remove any gun-related charges.

          1. It would remove it. As long as you’re in the grace period, there is no crime. Considering he was in Alabama 30-days ago, that could be when the weapon was purchased then brought to CA.

      2. lol. No, son. Just no.

        First of all, it’s a California statute and therefore no ‘Federal Time.’

        Second of all, you’re kidding yourself to the nature of the crime. Possession of an assault weapon or rifle in California is a “wobbler” offense. Prosecutors have the choice to charge wobblers as either misdemeanors or felonies.

        If convicted of misdemeanor possession of an assault weapon, you face up to one year in a county jail, and a maximum $1,000 fine.

        If convicted of felony possession of an assault weapon, you face up to three years in county jail, and a maximum $10,000 fine.

        It’s generally a misdemeanor in Foster’s case because he only had ‘constructive possession’ (access) versus ‘actual possession’ (holding it). Further, the prosecutor has to show he KNOWINGLY (scienter– criminal mind) possessed the weapon in contrary to the law. While he has a solid defense in that he thought it was a it was a lawful firearm because, where he’s from (Alabama) it is a lawful firearm, one purchased lawfully.

        But you’re not alone. Virtually none of you know the law because none of you (a) have a weapon and (b) have ever bothered to read the law or even a quality summary thereof and (c) understand prosecutorial and defense issues regarding the firearm.

        He’ll most likely not be charged or will have the charge bargained down to a fine and will have to surrender his weapon.

        1. I am totally amazed at the amount of ‘Outhouse Lawyers’ on here….until we know what the charges are that he’ll be facing, it’s just total guesswork….What’s that smell…?

    2. Thats exactly what it sounds like to me. We often give players grief for staying in dysfunctional relationships and here is a case where a player is trying to end one and it still blows back on him. We should always be hesitant in jumping to conclusions in cases where we are not eye witnesses. These things can be either way. This time the red flags seem to be pointing the finger at the gal.

    3. Yeah Jim, I’m not gonna say that’s the case here, but the scenario you threw out happens FAR MORE often than the average.person realizes. The fact that the DA hasn’t picked up charges coupled with the front office not making a move hints at the possibility that there’s more going on than we know. I also wonder if the team didn’t rethink how they handled the Brock situation last year. We will probably never know ALL of either story

    1. Did anybody else hear that? I just heard a loud sucking noise…. Sir do u need some knee pads.
      #hatersgonnahate

  15. If ray lewis can beat a murder trial and josh Gordon can get suspended 3 times and still be on the Browns the 49ers and foster deserve another chance because he hasn’t been disciplined by the league yet and it will be his first violation and all the weed and combine stuff is just being young and imatire and if he and the 49ers can get it together and hopefully he matures because alot if players own guns for protection, hunting or just for fun at the range and at least half the league smokes weed and probably 3/4 the rookies!

    1. Not SBRs without tax stamps. Death sentence for his NFL career if that’s indeed what he had in his place, without the necessary paperwork. 10 years in club fed.

      1. lol You just need to stop. It’s a California statute. The weapon is legal in vast majority of the US. And you only spend time in the County Jail.

    2. Why do people keep saying Lewis was a murderer?
      He was a witness to but was never involved in the fight from all accounts. Furthermore , the “murder” that he witnessed, was ruled self defense.
      If anything he could be called a “rat” but not a murderer.

      1. Shoup

        For the same reason they keep calling OJ a murderer after he was acquitted….”well, it’s just because I know…”

  16. Foster being stupid does not overshadow anything. If he was dragging a female out of his house because she wouldn’t leave, although wrong, its not like he greg hardyed the girl. More like domestic self defense. Even though he should have never touched her. If the niners didn’t pick him up the saints were about to and I’d bet my house grant wouldn’t have said the same things about the saints. So 30 other teams didn’t agree with you because we know at least 1 was about to pull the trigger. What the 49ers did to end the season was unbelievably great. And aside from someone on the team murdering someone or literally beating up his wife or girlfriend, this was not an overshadowment. It was a judgement call. Hey you win some you lose some.

  17. A ‘man’ is accountable for his greatness and his failures. Yes sir, no sir, no excuse sir.

  18. “Now, Foster dominates the conversation. Is he a woman beater? How long will the NFL suspend him? Will he get arrested again? Will the 49ers cut him? Can they make the playoffs without him? Will they draft another middle linebacker in the first round? Foster’s issues overshadow the team, the five-game winning streak, the Garoppolo trade, Garoppolo’s $137-million extension, everything.This is what the 49ers signed up for. And I’m not even talking about Foster’s moral failings, which are enormous. ”

    I am confused. What are Foster’s moral failings? He smoked pot in Al which is illegal but legal in the state of his current residence. Surely, that is not a moral failing but rather poor judgment. Beating a woman is definitely a moral failing, but after the Brian Banks saga and the false accusation against Kaepernick in Miami, I will not pass judgement until more facts are in evidence.

    Grant do you have info which we are not privy to regarding Foster’s ” moral failings.” ?

  19. They knew they were rolling the dice with Foster so they shouldn’t be upset it is now biting them. That was always the risk.

    Time will tell if ultimately it was a risk worth taking. But this off season so far has indicated their gamble has a high chance of not being a good one.

    1. Niners took a calculated risk with Foster because he was great value at #31 (or wherever they took him). They did they risk management by book-ending that pick with two solid character, starter-quality players in round 1 and 3. Draft has a 50% yield rate at best and some calculated risk is justified as long as the GM and coaching staff are on board about the risk.
      Of course, for some reporters and fans, if they draft a solid 10 year starter instead who’s not producing enough sacks or interceptions or some of their favorite metric, they are also unhappy. I was not a huge Reuben Foster fan and would have preferred Cunningham without trading up but I am fine that they took the risk. His problem is not an illness unlike Aldon and there is still a chance he might straighten himself out after this incident. Else he will have punched his ticket out of Santa Clara.

  20. Look until we know if the gun legal or not . If it’s not a registered weapon .
    If if if . Bull .
    Until it comes out there n the wash , and the truth comes out . All this is a waste of time , was he a bad pick ? Really, let’s judge him on his past ?
    Should we be talking about preparing , yes .
    Let Yee cast the first stone , who has not sinned.
    Cause until I know what happened, I won’t judge. Prepare yes . Thanks

  21. Liddle cohn trying to distract us all from his “trade Jimmy G” fiasco by penning another hate piece.

    Wannabe bayliss, wannabe cowherd, …… sad.

  22. The Niners biggest mistake was getting him a place in Los Gatos where people call the cops on these sorts of things. If Foster was living in EPA he would have had his neighbors help him drag that land anchor out.

    1. The neighbors didn’t call the cops. I live a few miles north of that area in Los Gatos and I think his agent (or whoever) chose this area because it’s quiet upscale neighborhood, and not too bad a commute to Santa Clara. Most Niners players live in large homes in Evergreen or Almaden Valley. Anyway, even though the gentrifying EPA now is not the old EPA it wouldn’t be a good place for him.

  23. Grant
    * The Foster issue has developed rigor mortis, let’s let Lynch and the 9er FO do their job and move on to…….
    * NFL Combine Feb. 27th: Who will run the fastest 40, or have a 40 inch vertical? Who will bench the most reps
    and the draft prospects the 9ers should sign?
    * Sleepers and small school prospects that weren’t invited to the combine, but the 9ers should look at / sign?
    * March 5th: Franchise tag deadline: Will the 9ers franchise anyone?
    * March 14: Free Agents the 9ers should sign?

    1. Yeah Lowell Junior is trying to convince us all the focus is on Rueben. Maybe all his focus. Yes the Niner’s screwed the pooch on this one, but they are in Great shape compared to a year ago and that makes it a lot easier to fill the needs. The team doesn’t live or die because of Foster, the team addressed the biggest need and everything else will now fall into place. Remember Lowell Jr is just like his Pop and makes a living at trying to convince the BA Sports World the Niner’s can’t do anything right. It is what it is. That crazy crap he posted about Garoppolo a few weeks ago had me and my son’s laughing and shaking our heads. Like he just reaches down and pulls it out of his Butt LOL

      1. All arrows were pointed up for the Niners before Foter’s two arrests. Now, not all arrows are pointed up, and that’s Foster’s fault.

        1. You got that right, now we have journalist focusing on Rueben and not the Combine, Free agency, the Draft. Though your point is taken. Did they need that distraction, Hell no. Of course we all remember the Aldon BS like yesterday and everything they did to try and right that ship.

  24. If the participants in the combine were wearing full football uniforms while performing then I would place a lot more stock in combine results. As it stands now, running around in underwear and performing feats of abnormity eh – too each his own I suppose. Biggest question is does anyone get kicked out of the combine due to character issues? If they do get kicked out are they rewarded with a first round pick? Precedence has been established.

    1. UC,

      I agree and it’s been suggested that teams value the chance to visit with players more than the results of the drills. If they really want to test football skills then they need to get rid of the track and field aspect and move to football related testing in full pads. I don’t think there is a strong push to change the format and that is likely because they rely on the film and interviews to analyze the player while the test results could possibly be used in the event there are two prospects with similar rankings.

    2. Polian calls it confirmation on height, weight, speed. Game tape still rules the choice, and of course the interviews are useful; but don’t get snowed.
      Those who like to do Mocks and Big Boards should put theirs together next week and be careful about altering them based on Combine wow results.

    3. undercenter
      * I agree, but it does provide information to validate what we think we see in player we want the 9ers to draft.
      * What if a player is not invited to the combine, but later proven to be innocent, does that also set a precedence?
      * Off-field concerns add another layer (crap shoot), when evaluating NFL prospects.

  25. The 2018 NFL Draft at the ILB position has plenty of depth if the Niners want to cut their loses with a trade of Foster:

    Darius Leonard, So. Carolina State
    Malik Jafferson, Texas
    Roquan Smith, Georgia
    Rahaan Evans, Ala
    Josey Jewell, Iowa
    Oren Burks, Vanderbilt
    Leighton Vander Esch, Boise State
    Tre Williams, Auburn

    NFL Free Agents:

    Mason Foster, Wash
    Avery Williams, Ten
    Todd Davis, Den
    Joe Bostic, Indi
    Gerald Hodges, Saints

    * Drafting Trumaine Edmunds to the 49ers has been big in many mocks also

  26. Many mocks have 5 QBs going in Rd. 1, meaning a 49er trade down to position players is strong. Those teams interested in protection against 2nd round NFL teams trading back into the 1st Rd for a QB will be trade partners

    Hudrick’s 2018 NFL Mock Draft 1.0
    By Paul Hudrick | NBC Sports Philadelphia
    Published 4 hours ago

    1. Cleveland Browns – Sam Darnold, QB, USC (6-4/220)
    2. New York Giants – Josh Rosen, QB, UCLA (6-4/218)
    6. New York Jets – Baker Mayfield, QB, Oklahoma (6-1/220)
    13. Washington Redskins – Josh Allen, QB, Wyoming (6-5/223)
    29. Jacksonville Jaguars – Lamar Jackson, QB, Louisville (6-3/200)

    2018 NFL mock draft: Five QBs off the board in Round 1, but none to Giants

    1. Cleveland Browns (1-15 in 2017), Sam Darnold, QB, USC
    5. Denver Broncos (5-11), Baker Mayfield, QB, Oklahoma
    6. New York Jets (5-11), Josh Rosen, QB, UCLA
    15. Arizona Cardinals (8-8), Lamar Jackson, QB, Louisville
    21. Buffalo Bills (9-7), Josh Allen, QB, Wyoming

    https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/sports/wp/2018/02/14/2018-nfl-mock-draft-five-qbs-off-the-board-in-round-1-but-none-to-giants/?utm_term=.3f8ff4086e5a

  27. TomD’s Take on Reuben Foster: A 1st Rd pick was invested in a player thought to be vying for the best in the league at ILB.
    The 2018 draft brings a plethora of LB talent the 49ers way. They may look to the draft.

    San Francisco 49ers mock draft roundup: February 16
    The latest roundup of what online mock drafters are saying about the San Francisco 49ers in Round 1.

    WalterFootball.com/Walter Cherepinsky (five-round mock) – Roquan Smith, LB, Georgia – “The 49ers looked like they landed their stud linebacker for the next decade in Reuben Foster, but now it’s uncertain if he’ll ever play for them again,” wrote Cherepinsky. “He’s been arrested twice in the span of a month, one of which was for allegedly dragging his injured girlfriend. He’ll be suspended for six games at the very least, and he could face jail time. The 49ers may opt to cut him. San Francisco may consider a linebacker here in the wake of Foster’s troubles. If so, both Roquan Smith and Tremaine Edmunds make sense.

    https://247sports.com/nfl/san-francisco-49ers/Bolt/San-Francisco-49ers-mock-draft-roundup-February-16-115213444

    1. *Note: The 49ers will pick up an insurance LB. This means they have to spend another pick on a position thought covered in last years draft or try free agency.

      Either way, a trade down looks inevitable now that they’re facing another need.

    2. TomD

      Just a breeze of a thought…something that our FO is going through as we speak….Let’s not change a thing….Unless we get an outrageous offer for our #9/10, let’s go with what our original plan is to be IE Take Nelson at our #1, if he is gone…go to Tremaine Edmunds, and work him with Smith, or Brock, or another LB we can pick up later in the draft. We just treat it as though Foster is in Purgatory (which in effect, he IS) Continue on with our draft with the swaps, trades, and deals to be made with a keen eye to pickup xtra picks wherever we can. As we found out, our LBs weren’t all that bad, and if Edmunds is anything close to what we’re hearing,….things could be a lot worse…AND depending on the ‘powers that be’ Reuben might not be facing as serious a charge as we are anticipating…….THE SKY MIGHT NOT BE FALLING……Just a thought….

  28. Grant,
    You certainly nailed this one. You were right in so many ways, its just that people would give you credit for being right more often if you would occasionally admit when the approx 50% of the time that you are wrong you might admit it…….Just a thought.

  29. Grant do you ever tire of being Devil’s advocate ? The negative articles certainly have to be exhausting. I know reading them can be. Was it just 2 weeks ago they were going to trade Jimmy and go after Cousin’s ??

      1. I disagree, but then again that is just an opinion, same as your articles. I have far more faith in John and Kyle working through this mess than I do in you printing a positive upbeat article. Again JMO!

  30. Excuse me but I don’t know why everyone keeps mocking the 9ers bye ROQUAN SMITH given especially the situation they are in because of Foster. You people must be forgetting who our GM is now. Do you actually think that Lynch will pass him by if he is there at 9/10? REALLY? For a wide receiver or a running back? Really.

  31. I say big freaking deal, they could of pick someone else and they could be a bust. Every pick is a risk, some more than others, the bigger issue is the guy is injury prone. If he was not, it would be more of a loss. Let’s put the drug and domestic violence to the side, the guy misses games, it does not matter if he plays 3 downs. I would rather have two guys instead of him that are available to play. Cut him I could care less and the bigger news is still Jimmy G and we have the $$ and the picks to get a free agent or two or a couple of players in the draft to replace him. Between the injuries and the behavior outside of the football field. I would just say ” Bye Felicia “

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