(WUSA 9) -- The Washington Redskins claimed second-year linebacker and former first-round draft pick Reuben Foster off waivers on Tuesday afternoon.
Foster, 24, has since been placed on the Commissioner’s Exempt List while the NFL reviews his Saturday arrest in Tampa, Florida, according to NFL.com. Per the league’s policy, he is currently barred from practicing or playing in games.
Foster was released by the San Francisco 49ers Sunday morning after being arrested at the Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay on suspicion of first-degree misdemeanor domestic-violence battery, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
Tampa police responded to a 911 call from Foster’s “on-again, off-again girlfriend” Elissa Ennis, 28, on Saturday evening, reported the San Francisco Chronicle. In the call, Ennis told the dispatcher that Foster had broken her phone and slapped her in the face.
The linebacker was booked in Hillsborough County Jail on Saturday night and released on $2,000 bail Sunday afternoon, according to the Tampa Bay Times.
“The Redskins fully understand the severity of the recent allegations made against Reuben,” Redskins Senior Vice President of Player Personnel Doug Williams said in a statement. “Let me be clear, Reuben will have to go through numerous steps including the full legal process, an investigation and potential discipline from the NFL, as well as meetings with counselors associated with the team before he will ever have the opportunity to wear the Burgundy and Gold as a player.”
Foster is no stranger to legal trouble. At the time of his arrest, he was already serving two years’ probation for a weapons charge, according to NFL.com. Foster was also charged with second-degree marijuana possession in January, which was dismissed.
These charges earned the 24-year-old a two-game suspension at the start of this season for violating the NFL’s conduct and substances of abuse policies, according to Sports Illustrated.
Additionally, he was accused of domestic violence by Ennis in February, but the charges were dropped after the woman recanted her statement, reported NFL.com.
“…we decided to investigate the situation with Reuben further by claiming his rights after candid conversations with a number of his ex-Alabama teammates and current Redskins players who were overwhelmingly supportive of us taking this chance,” Williams said.
Foster joins seven Alabama alums on the Redskins’ roster, five of which play on the defensive side of the ball. That list includes defensive end Jonathan Allen and linebacker Ryan Anderson, both of whom were part of the 2017 draft class alongside Foster.
Foster was selected 31st overall by the 49ers, but played only 16 games during his tenure in the Bay Area. However, when Foster was on the field, he was productive. In his rookie season with San Francisco, the Alabama-alum recording the second-most tackles on the team, despite only playing 10 games. This season, he has recorded 29 tackles in six games.
The Redskins travel to Philadelphia on Monday for their first meeting of the season with the defending Super Bowl champion Eagles. At the moment, it seems unlikely that Foster will be on the field with his new team for that matchup.
