‘No guarantee’ Foster will play for Washington

ASHBURN, Va. — After deciding to give Reuben

Foster an immediate second chance following his domestic violence arrest, Washington will continue to investigate the 24-yearold’s legal problems and are making no assurances he’ll ever play for the team given the obstacles he must clear to return.

Foster is currently on the NFL’s Commissioner Exempt list and cannot play in games or practice following his arrest Saturday night at the 49ers’ team hotel in Tampa. He has been charged with one count of first-degree misdemeanor domestic violence.

Washington was the only team to put in a claim for Foster after the 49ers released him Monday.

Coach Jay Gruden on Wednesday acknowledged the team must deal with the public criticism of adding Foster so soon after his arrest. But the coach isn’t sure the linebacker will ever suit up for Washington.

“We accept, obviously, the questions, but we want to let the process play out and see what happens and get to the bottom of it,” Gruden said. “There’s no guarantee he’s ever going to play here, to be honest with you. He’s got a lot of work to do — personally, with the team, with the NFL, with himself — before he even thinks about playing football again.”

Foster was arrested on a domestic violence charge last spring. Those charges were dropped. He served a two-game suspension to begin this season for his arrest on a gun charge and for misdemeanor marijuana possession. In other news:

• Eric Reid says he’s being targeted by the NFL after being drug tested five times since signing with the Panthers on Sept. 27. Drug screenings throughout the NFL are random, but the Panthers safety says this year for him it has been “excessive.” • Leonard Fournette’s appeal of a one-game suspension for fighting has been denied. He will sit out Sunday’s game against Indianapolis.

The Jacksonville running back was suspended without pay for leaving the sideline, running across the field and punching Buffalo defensive end Shaq Lawson. Fournette appealed, but James Thrash affirmed the one-game punishment that will cost Fournette close to $100,000.

• The New York Jets placed left guard James

Carpenter on the injured reserve list with a shoulder injury, ending the season for one of the team’s most reliable players.

Carpenter had started in 58 straight games since signing with the Jets as a free agent in 2015 until missing New York’s 27-13 loss to New England last Sunday.