Front office sticking by Foster amid legal limbo
INDIANAPOLIS >> Reuben Foster’s status was addressed Wednesday by 49ers general manager John Lynch, albeit with little reveal, for the first time since Foster’s two arrests this offseason, including a Feb. 11 incident in which he’s accused of domestic violence, making threats and possession of an assault weapon.
“With this, we’ve been a little quiet. And that’s for a reason. There’s places I can’t and won’t go,” Lynch said Wednesday at the NFL scouting combine.
The Santa Clara County District Attorney’s office has not announced whether it will file charges against Foster, and it has until March 13 to decide on those offenses, which can be classified as misdemeanors or felonies.
“We’re actively following protocols with both law enforcement and the NFL,” Lynch added.
With Foster in legal limbo, the 49ers are making contingency plans in case the play-making
linebacker is unavailable this season, perhaps if the NFL imposes discipline, such as a six-game suspension for domestic-violence cases.
“That would be something that we have to take into account, whether it be in free agency or not, whether it be re-signing our own guys or whether it be in the draft,” Lynch said.
Foster, a first-round draft pick (No .31) last year, missed six games as a rookie because of ankle, rib and back injuries. Among the 49ers’ pending free agents is fellow starting linebacker Brock Coyle, who underwent shoulder surgery in January.
Lynch confirmed he and coach Kyle Shanahan met with Foster the day after the incident and apparently heard enough to stand by Foster, as opposed to what they did a year ago in promptly releasing cornerback Tremaine Brock after his domestic-violence arrest.
“I said then, and I’ll say now, our approach is that each one of these situations is unique and different,” Lynch said. “Listen, I know there’s a lot of conjecture as to, ‘Well, of course Brock wasn’t the player that Reuben is.’ I would counter to say that he was a starting cornerback for us. We didn’t take that lightly.
“I think anybody who watched us play — I don’t want to say a weakness — but an area of concern for us was the cornerback position. And that had a large part to do with it. It wasn’t something we took lightly. It was the decision that we felt was best for everyone involved.”
Police initially responded to a 911 call from Foster’s girlfriend, who accused him of dragging her during an argument at a Los Gatos home. Foster, it’s believed, has cooperated with law enforcement as well as 49ers and NFL officials regarding the matter.
“The context, in a broad sense, of what we discussed with Reuben, is just our expectations for him and our expectations for all of our players,” Lynch said. “We have a high standard. I think we made that very clear. We remain in communication, but a lot of that’s gonna remain private between us because of a lot of things such as the ongoing legal matter and protocols that are in place.”
It was Foster’s second arrest in this first 49ers offseason.
He was arrested Jan. 12 for second-degree marijuana possession in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. His first court date regarding that case was pushed Wednesday to the March 21 plea docket in Tuscaloosa District Court.
A year ago, Foster was sent home from the scouting combine before linebacker workouts, the result of an argument with a hospital worker. He did take a drug test there but failed it as the result of a diluted urine sample, he claimed.
Foster’s rookie year was derailed early by a high ankle sprain in the opener that forced him to miss five games. He won NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month honors in December and finished with the team’s second-most tackles.
•Lynch wouldn’t delve too much into Carlos Hyde’s future with the 49ers, but the team’s general manager offered that the running back “is a really good football player for us.”
Hyde is set to hit unrestricted free agency when the new league year begins on March 14, and he could be among the top rushers available. Hyde ran for 938 yards and eight touchdowns last season as well as reeling in 350 yards on 59 catches.
Hyde, hindered by injuries his first three seasons, started all 16 games under first-year coach Kyle Shanahan, and that durability could bolster his case when negotiations commence with Hyde’s agent, Doug Hendrickson.
• Lynch said reports about right tackle Trent Brown’s surgically repaired shoulder are that he is “coming along well” as he continues to rehab in Florida.
• Keena Turner, a linebacker on the 49ers’ first four Super Bowl teams, has become a vice president/special adviser to Lynch. Turner was VP of football affairs the past 10 years.