On the 28th of November, the recently released Reuben Foster was claimed on waivers by the Washington Redskins. This occurred mere days after Foster had been arrested on yet another domestic abuse charge.
As a Redskins fan myself, I have no idea how to react to this news.
Let’s look at the positives from this move. It goes without saying that Reuben Foster is an incredibly talented player. At only twenty-four years old, and still on his rookie contract, this move is financially low risk, high reward. Furthermore, Foster has been arrested on fake domestic abuse charges before. If he is found to be innocent, he will no doubt become an integral member of a growing Washington Redskins defense.
In addition, the fact that the Redskins boast a number of Foster’s former Alabama teammates, such as defensive studs Jonathan Allen and HaHa Clinton-Dix, also bodes well for his chances of success in Washington. According to Doug Williams, several of these teammates were consulted prior to the move, with several giving positive character reports of Foster. By surrounding him with these positive influences, D.C. may be the best possible place for Foster to thrive.
Reuben Foster is a big risk for the Redskins at this point
Nevertheless, the gravity of the allegations against Foster cannot be ignored. The San Francisco 49ers certainly would not have released such a promising young player without proper reason. Foster may have been the victim of false accusations in the past, however these have not been his only brushes with the law.
Foster has accumulated various charges in his troubled past, such as possession of drugs and assault weapons. Until his verdict has been read, it will be impossible to tell whether Foster is innocent or not; yet these previous events do not bode well for the character of this player, despite the character reports from his former teammates.
Without a doubt, Dan Snyder and the Redskins front office have taken a huge risk with this signing. If Foster is found innocent and has taken positive steps as Kyle Shanahan believed he had, this may go down as an incredibly productive move by the Redskins. If, however, Foster is found guilty as charged, this may result in a massive PR disaster for the already controversy-ridden franchise.
Personally, if Foster is innocent of these allegations and seems to be on a positive track, I will welcome him into the team. If, however, Foster is found guilty, this will be one of the most maligned moves of the Redskins franchise since its formation. Bruce Allen and Dan Snyder are hardly renowned for their delicate handling of situations- the slightest hint of malpractice here could be the final nail in their public-relation coffins.
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