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Mark Inabinett | minabinett@al.com
Linebacker Reuben Foster has returned to receiving his full share of first-team reps this week during the San Francisco 49ers' mandatory minicamp.
The 49ers kept the former Alabama All-American out of their offseason program after he was arrested in January and February. But as he put his legal troubles behind him, Foster rejoined the team on May 24.
"It's been good," San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan said of Foster's return as minicamp started on Tuesday. "He tried hard to get thrown in there
the very first day he got back, and we definitely had to hold him back. Him and (strength and conditioning coach) Ray (Wright) just went one-on-one for about a week and a half. Got him in shape. We started using him more last week in with the reps each day. ... He's in shape and ready to go."
Foster's return has allowed San Francisco to have him and Malcolm Smith on the field at the same time -- a pairing that's been a year in the making. The 49ers signed Smith as a free agent to a five-year, $26.5 million contract last year, but he suffered a torn pectoral muscle at training camp on Aug. 7 and missed the entire season.
San Francisco has been using Smith at middle, or Mike, linebacker and Foster at weakside, or Will, linebacker on the inside of its defense this week.
"It's just good to have them both out there together," Shanahan saidon Wednesday. "Those are two guys I really wanted to see play together last year. We lost Malcolm early in training camp.
"Malcolm's great. He knows the scheme very well. He's very smart. He's an extremely hard player to go against, especially in the pass game. And they both feed off each other very well. Malcolm is very controlled and has a lot of experience. Reuben, I always tell him he's like "The Waterboy" out there. He's always flying around ready to hit someone. They balance each other out very well, so I think it's a good tandem."
Shanahan said the 49ers' version of Bobby Boucher is "pretty entrenched" at the Will spot.
"Reuben's capable of doing both, and he played only Mike in college," Shanahan said. "He played some of it for us last year. We kind of like Reuben just running around and not having to worry about as much. You don't have to do that as much at Will linebacker. He's capable of both. Not too much of a difference. Just got to communicate a lot more at Mike."
Shanahan said the 49ers' inside linebackers working with coach DeMeco Ryans were a solid group. In addition to Foster and Smith, San Francisco has Brock Coyle, Elijah Lee, Mark Nzeocha, Korey Toomer and Fred Warner.
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"All seven of them are NFL players," Shanahan said. "They all work; they all challenge each other. But they all know there's some real competition there, too. You can't have seven inside linebackers on a roster. It's a good room, and I think that starts with the leader of the room, which is the coach in DeMeco. But they grind every day."
Foster concluded his legal proceedings on June 6 when he pleaded no contest to unlawful possession of an assault weapon.
Foster was arrested in Los Gatos, California, on Feb. 11 and charged with felony domestic violence, forcefully attempting to prevent a victim from reporting a crime and possession of an assault weapon. A judge dismissed two of those charges and reduced the weapons charge from a felony to a misdemeanor on May 23.
On the gun charge, Foster was sentenced to two years on probation and 240 hours of community service. Foster also must pay $235 in fines and fees and turn in the weapon -- a SIG Sauer 516. Foster is prohibited from possessing guns or ammunition during his probation.
Foster also was arrested in Tuscaloosa on Jan. 12 and charged with second-degree possession of marijuana. That charge was dismissedafter Foster participated in a pretrial diversion program.
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Foster made the Pro Football Writers Association's All-Rookie team for the 2017 season after the 49ers traded up to select him with the 31st pick in last year's draft.
Foster missed six of San Francisco's first eight games during his rookie season because of the injuries. But in the second half of the season, Foster was on the field for every game, and San Francisco, which started the season 0-8, went 6-2. Despite his missed time, Foster finished second on the team in tackles.
Foster was the Class 6A Lineman of the Year for the 2012 season at Auburn High School. He won the Butkus Award as the nation's best collegiate linebacker in 2016 at Alabama.
Mark Inabinett | minabinett@al.com
San Francisco 49ers coach sees some Bobby Boucher in Reuben Foster
The 49ers kept the former Alabama All-American out of their offseason program after he was arrested in January and February. But as he put his legal troubles behind him, Foster rejoined the team on May 24.
"It's been good," San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan said of Foster's return as minicamp started on Tuesday. "He tried hard to get thrown in there
the very first day he got back, and we definitely had to hold him back. Him and (strength and conditioning coach) Ray (Wright) just went one-on-one for about a week and a half. Got him in shape. We started using him more last week in with the reps each day. ... He's in shape and ready to go."
Foster's return has allowed San Francisco to have him and Malcolm Smith on the field at the same time -- a pairing that's been a year in the making. The 49ers signed Smith as a free agent to a five-year, $26.5 million contract last year, but he suffered a torn pectoral muscle at training camp on Aug. 7 and missed the entire season.
San Francisco has been using Smith at middle, or Mike, linebacker and Foster at weakside, or Will, linebacker on the inside of its defense this week.
"It's just good to have them both out there together," Shanahan saidon Wednesday. "Those are two guys I really wanted to see play together last year. We lost Malcolm early in training camp.
"Malcolm's great. He knows the scheme very well. He's very smart. He's an extremely hard player to go against, especially in the pass game. And they both feed off each other very well. Malcolm is very controlled and has a lot of experience. Reuben, I always tell him he's like "The Waterboy" out there. He's always flying around ready to hit someone. They balance each other out very well, so I think it's a good tandem."
Shanahan said the 49ers' version of Bobby Boucher is "pretty entrenched" at the Will spot.
"Reuben's capable of doing both, and he played only Mike in college," Shanahan said. "He played some of it for us last year. We kind of like Reuben just running around and not having to worry about as much. You don't have to do that as much at Will linebacker. He's capable of both. Not too much of a difference. Just got to communicate a lot more at Mike."
Shanahan said the 49ers' inside linebackers working with coach DeMeco Ryans were a solid group. In addition to Foster and Smith, San Francisco has Brock Coyle, Elijah Lee, Mark Nzeocha, Korey Toomer and Fred Warner.
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"All seven of them are NFL players," Shanahan said. "They all work; they all challenge each other. But they all know there's some real competition there, too. You can't have seven inside linebackers on a roster. It's a good room, and I think that starts with the leader of the room, which is the coach in DeMeco. But they grind every day."
Foster concluded his legal proceedings on June 6 when he pleaded no contest to unlawful possession of an assault weapon.
Foster was arrested in Los Gatos, California, on Feb. 11 and charged with felony domestic violence, forcefully attempting to prevent a victim from reporting a crime and possession of an assault weapon. A judge dismissed two of those charges and reduced the weapons charge from a felony to a misdemeanor on May 23.
On the gun charge, Foster was sentenced to two years on probation and 240 hours of community service. Foster also must pay $235 in fines and fees and turn in the weapon -- a SIG Sauer 516. Foster is prohibited from possessing guns or ammunition during his probation.
Foster also was arrested in Tuscaloosa on Jan. 12 and charged with second-degree possession of marijuana. That charge was dismissedafter Foster participated in a pretrial diversion program.
FOR MORE OF AL.COM'S COMPREHENSIVE COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OUR NFL PAGE
Foster made the Pro Football Writers Association's All-Rookie team for the 2017 season after the 49ers traded up to select him with the 31st pick in last year's draft.
Foster missed six of San Francisco's first eight games during his rookie season because of the injuries. But in the second half of the season, Foster was on the field for every game, and San Francisco, which started the season 0-8, went 6-2. Despite his missed time, Foster finished second on the team in tackles.
Foster was the Class 6A Lineman of the Year for the 2012 season at Auburn High School. He won the Butkus Award as the nation's best collegiate linebacker in 2016 at Alabama.
Mark Inabinett | minabinett@al.com
San Francisco 49ers coach sees some Bobby Boucher in Reuben Foster
