NFL Notes: Arian Foster, 49ers, Bears, Giants, & Texans

Arian Foster

Mike Freeman doesn’t see the Texans keeping RB Arian Foster, who will be coming off of an Achilles tear, given that he’ll be 30 years old and carrying a cap figure of $8.7 million for the 2016 season.

Freeman admits that Houston could try to renegotiate his contract to ease the cap hit, but he considers it more likely that the Texans cut him loose and Foster finishes out his career with a team like the Redskins.

49ers

• Mike Freeman believes the 49ers are not only at a “crossroads” with QB Colin Kaepernick, but also with HC Jim Tomsula, despite hiring him less than a year ago.
• Freeman mentions that San Francisco could consider getting rid of both of them next year.

Bears

Mike Freeman of B/R reports that former Bears DT Jay Ratliff showed up to the team’s practice  and was behaving belligerently toward players and coaches during the final week of last season.

According to Freeman, the Bears coaching staff wouldn’t allow him to practice, which led to Ratliff going “ballistic.”

Ratliff was asked to leave practice, which he did. However, Ratliff  later returned.

The Bears coaching staff and players reportedly tried to get Ratliff to calm down and leave, but he wound up destroying the game clock on the practice field and shoved an assistant coach to the ground.

Then head coach Marc Trestman never intervened and stood off to the side and watched, according to Freeman.

Shockingly enough, Trestman later made Ratliff a team captain the next day, which left the entire locker room “incredulous.” Trestman justified the decision by saying Ratliff brought intensity to the team, but the players weren’t buying this explanation.

Giants

• Giants OT Will Beatty and CB Prince Amukamara have been ruled out for Sunday’s game against the Saints. (Ralph Vacchiano)
• Giants LB Jon Beason, OG Geoff Schwartz, and DE Owa Odighizuwa did not practice Wednesday. (Ralph Vacchiano)

Texans

• John McClain of the Houston Chronicle was asked if there’s anyway the Texans would entertain a trade of DE J.J. Watt for draft picks to which he replied: “No chance.“. (Chris Law)