Former Alabama Linebacker Working Out With Jets

Former Alabama LB Reuben Foster held a work out with the New York Jets on Thursday. This comes after his short tenure out of the NFL after battling a major ACL injury two seasons ago.

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Foster played at Alabama from 2013-16, securing 223 total tackles, including 24 of those with yardage loss, seven sacks, and nine passes defensed. In 2016, Foster ranked No. 3 in the SEC for assisted tackles, solo tackles, No. 2 for total tackles, and No. 9 for tackles for loss. He also won the 2016 Dick Butkus Award, was First Team All-SEC, and All-American and a 2015 National Champion.

Foster went No. 31 overall, in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft to the San Francisco 49ers. He became the starting middle LB for the 49ers and ended his rookie season playing ten games, with 72 total tackles, one pass defended, and made the Pro Football Writers Association's All-Rookie Team. In 2018, he played six games with the 49ers, making 29 tackles, and one pass defended.

However, Foster's career took a turn in 2018 after a couple arrests and suspensions by the league, ultimately resulting in the 49ers releasing him. In November of 2018, the Washington Football Team picked him up via waivers.

In May of 2019, during his first practice with the Football Team, Foster tore his ACL and LCL, which has put him on and off the IR and PUP lists since. In April 2020, Washington declined his fifth-year contract option and ended his time with the WFT being placed on IR in September 2020.

Although Foster has dealt with personal and professional woes, he is only 27 years old, and can still make a huge impact for a team ready to give him another shot. The Jets currently only have two middle LB's, both with inconsistencies: former Alabama LB CJ Mosley, who also has not played since 2019, due to a groin injury and opting out of the 2020 season; and Quincy Williams, a Birmingham, Ala., native and Murray State Alumni, who has a history of injuries; including, hamstring and knee in 2019, plus abdomen and hand in 2020 with the Jaguars, just being claimed this week by the Jets after being waived Tuesday by the Jaguars.

If healthy, Foster could have an enormous impact with this desperate Jets team.