Niner Noise
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San Francisco 49ers: A pessimistic preview of the Niners’ 2018 season

By Peter Panacy

CHICAGO, IL - DECEMBER 03: Jimmy Garoppolo #10 of the San Francisco 49ers recovers his own fumbled snap against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on December 3, 2017 in Chicago, Illinois. The 49ers defetaed the Bears 15-14. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, IL - DECEMBER 03: Jimmy Garoppolo #10 of the San Francisco 49ers recovers his own fumbled snap against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on December 3, 2017 in Chicago, Illinois. The 49ers defetaed the Bears 15-14. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /
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SANTA CLARA, CA – DECEMBER 24: Reuben Foster #56 of the San Francisco 49ers warms up prior to their game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Levi’s Stadium on December 24, 2017 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Robert Reiners/Getty Images)
SANTA CLARA, CA – DECEMBER 24: Reuben Foster #56 of the San Francisco 49ers warms up prior to their game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Levi’s Stadium on December 24, 2017 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Robert Reiners/Getty Images) /

What If Reuben Foster’s Off-Field Issues Become a Problem?

There’s no doubt Reuben Foster is one of the bigger-impact players rising up the NFL ranks today. Pro Football Focus ranked the former rookie the fourth best linebacker in the league last season.

Injury concerns are there, but there are off-the-field issues to worry about too.

Last January, Foster was arrested in Alabama on chargers of second-degree marijuana possession. This could just be an incident of a young player making a simple mistake; something to learn from and to spark some growth.

But Foster’s off-field concerns raised red flags, likely prompting him to fall on draft day a year ago.

“He’s got to stay — he knows it — he’s got to stay clean,” John Lynch noted, via Jennifer Lee Chan of Niners Nation. “We all know how special of a player he can be when he’s right. So he’s got to figure out how to stay healthy and stay out of trouble, but we believe he will do that.”

The pessimistic viewpoint, of course, is Foster winds up continuing on this dangerous trajectory.

It’s too early to suggest this is going to happen, of course, but the negative side of things could have us worried he’ll wind up being another unfortunate example of an oh-so talented player not capable of getting out of his own way.