Year two has been rough for Foster
SANTA CLARA » Reuben Foster looked every bit a play-making, turnover-forcing machine immediately into his rookie training camp last year. Interceptions came daily, along with a fumble or two. His hands were magnets to the football.
“The ball’s got a thing for me. I don’t got a thing for the ball,” Foster quipped back then with his fun-loving smile.
Now, 14 games into his career, Foster has no interceptions, no fumble recoveries, no forced fumbles and a shoulder injury that will last through the season. That injury aside, he typifies the state of the 49ers lackluster defense.
As much as the 49ers ( 1- 6) have been hurt by their turnoverprone offense (18 giveways), their defense isn’t bailing them out (three takeaways) as they take a five-game losing streak into Sun-
day’s game at the Arizona Cardinals (1-6).
“It’s not just Reuben. It’s all of our guys,” coach Kyle Shanahan said.
Foster arrived as a first-round draft pick, packed with potential if healthy and clear of off-field trouble. He acknowledged Thursday that a right-shoulder injury is hindering him, but he plans to play through that pain the rest of this season.
“It doesn’t go numb. It’s a sharp pain that goes on and off,” Foster said. “I want to stay out there the whole time. I listen to my coaches and trainer. Whatever they decide for me, I know it’s best.”
Foster said an MRI recently revealed no structural damage to a shoulder that required surgery for a torn rotator cuff prior to last year’s draft. Added Foster: “It was just tweaked, probably fluid, and something you have to continue to rehab.”
Said defensive coordinator Robert Saleh: “He’s a fighter. He wants to be great. It might trigger here and there, but he’s not coming off.”
While Foster has aggravated a right-shoulder injury the past few games, he’s not the play-maker the 49ers sorely needed coming out of his two-game suspension, discipline from his offseason arrests.
“There is a little bit of rust to him, not that that’s an excuse,” Shanahan said. “That’s what he needs to do, to find a way to get that rust off. We haven’t yet, but I expect him to as this year goes.”
Foster looked tentative and had only two tackles in Sunday’s 39-10 loss to the Los Angeles Rams, leaving in the fourth quarter after aggravating his right-shoulder injury.
• George Kittle’s impressive season has won over 49ers teammates who voted the second-year tight end among their captains the rest of this season, a group that also features Joe Staley, Richard Sherman, DeForest Buckner and Robbie Gould.
“It starts with the way he plays and the way he comes to work every day,” Staley said of Kittle. “Obviously he has a ton of talent . ... He plays the game the right way with a lot of passion.”
Kittle leads the 49ers with 32 receptions for 527 yards, the latter of which already surpasses his rookie total (515 yards on 43 catches).
“It was not expected, but I really appreciate,” Kittle said. “Any time you can be voted a captain by your peers is always a great thing. I’ve learned a thing or two in the year and a half I’ve been in the NFL. It’s definitely helped me as a leader.”
Sherman was never voted a captain his previous seven seasons in Seattle, and he said: “I’ve always felt like a leader regardless if I had a ‘C’ on my chest.”
• Sherman and Staley may be the 49ers’ top commodities in terms of trade value, but neither veteran expects to go anywhere. “I’m not getting traded,” Staley said before adding half-jokingly, “They’d be foolish.”
“They haven’t reached to my agent,” Sherman said of 49ers officials, drawing laughs because he represented himself in signing a three-year deal. “They’ve said since I came here I’m a part of the future plans, at least the next couple years, and that’s the way I’ve seen it.”
Sherman didn’t practice Thursday but said beforehand he expects to play Sunday. A left calf issue sidelined him last game, as well as three weeks earlier against the Chargers.
• Running back Matt Breida (ankle) and wide receiver Pierre Garcon (shoulder, knee) remained out of practice. Center Weston Richburg (knee) and defensive lineman Solomon Thomas (thigh) did not practice; Thomas’ injury is new. Wide receiver Dante Pettis (knee) was limited. The Cardinals practiced without kicker Phil Dawson (right hip), guard Jeremy Vujnovich (hamstring) and safety Tre Boston (shoulder, ribs).
• Former NFL quarterback Byron Leftwich will make his debut Sunday as the Cardinals’ offensive coordinator in place of the fired Mike McCoy. “He’s going to have his wrinkles,” Saleh said. “I’m trying to see what he’s been influenced by in his past. We’ll see as the game goes on. In-game adjustments will be very important.”
Leftwich was a 2003 first-round draft pick by the Jacksonville Jaguars, and he played four years there. He finished his career in 2012 following stints with the Falcons, Steelers and Buccaneers.