According to Jason La Canfora, there was a “strong sense of shock and dismay” around the NFL after the Redskins surprisingly claimed LB Reuben Foster off of waivers from the 49ers last week following his latest domestic violence arrest.
La Canfora reports that Washington was the only team to place a waiver claim for Foster, who is expected to miss the remainder of the 2018 season while on the commissioner’s exempt list.
La Canfora says that the move is viewed as the work of Redskins owner Dan Synder and president Bruce Allen.
“I really can’t figure it out,” one NFL general manager tells La Canfora. “Whatever you think of the player, and his impact, and even if you think this situation may not be what it seems on the surface, why would you claim him now? We were shocked that anyone claimed him.”
A separate NFL GM added: “I wouldn’t even present it to my owner. Maybe once we know the outcome of the investigation. Maybe as a free agent down the road once he’s cleared waivers. But I didn’t even think about claiming him. I couldn’t believe they did.”
La Canfora spoke with a prominent team executive who said: “What do they gain by doing this now? It reflects poorly on the entire league. It makes all of us look bad. They said in their own press release he might not ever play a snap for them. What’s the point? I’m kind of disgusted by it.”
Washington claimed Foster off of waivers from the 49ers last week, even though he was arrested last weekend for another domestic violence incident.
It’s still possible Foster could be facing discipline from the NFL in the form of a suspension.
Foster has had multiple off-the-field issues since entering the NFL including a second-degree marijuana possession and a domestic violence incident involving his ex-girlfriend, who later recanted the allegations against him and the judge found no other evidence to support the charges.
Foster, 24, is a former first-round pick of the 49ers back in 2017. He was in the second year of his four-year, $9.03 million contract and set to make base salaries of $875,708 and $1.28 million over the next two years of the agreement when the 49ers waived him on Monday.
The contract includes a fifth-year option for the Redskins to pick up in 2020.
In 2018, Foster has appeared in six games for the 49ers and recorded 29 tackles and a pass defense.
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