Former Alabama LB Reuben Foster slowly working his way back from shoulder surgery
After having surgery on his right shoulder, former Alabama LB Reuben Foster has been targeting training camp as his return to live action.
However, the San Francisco 49ers rookie — who was chosen with the No. 31 pick in the 2017 NFL Draft — has been out on the field for the Niners at OTAs this week, albeit in a limited capacity.
According to ESPN.com, Foster has been participating in every non-contact drill the 49ers have had so far, but new head coach Kyle Shanahan said the team is being smart about keeping him away from collisions:
“Reuben, everything out there he’s got to watch,” Shanahan said. “We’ve allowed him to participate in anything that there’s no possibility of contact. So, if he’s doing any of the individual drills and not going against people, then he’s able to do everything because he can run and do it all. He just … we’ve got to be able to avoid collisions right now. He’s trying to stay locked in. I know it’s hard for him. He wants to run around out there, but he can’t do it. We’ve got to be smart with it. We can’t set him back.”
The 49ers are smart not to risk another injury to Foster’s shoulder. Though they have Malcolm Smith, NaVorro Bowman and Ahmad Brooks as their starting linebackers, Foster could provide some valuable depth as a rookie this fall.
For a team that went 2-14 in 2016, there shouldn’t be too much of a rush to get Foster on the field, as the Niners are likely targeting 2018, if not later, for a return to competitiveness.