San Francisco 49ers may have painted themselves into a corner

The San Francisco 49ers have a problem and must be feeling all sorts of deja vu today – however, when it comes to discipline, have they painted themselves into a corner?

Over the weekend we learned that San Francisco 49ers burgeoning star linebacker Reuben Foster was arrested – again. That marks the second time in a month that Foster’s found himself on the wrong side of the law.

This second arrest though, is far more serious and the consequences will likely be more severe. The question that needs to be asked is, in terms of handing down discipline, have the 49ers painted themselves into a corner?

In June of last year, former 49ers cornerback Tramaine Brock was arrested on charges of domestic violence. Literally, hours after being charged, San Francisco claimed the moral high ground by cutting ties with Brock.

Brock’s case was ultimately dismissed after the woman declined to cooperate with prosecutors.

However, it set a precedent, whether GM John Lynch intended it to or not. Whether he agrees with it or not. A precedent that now, if charges are filed and the case against Foster ultimately proceeds, could put Lynch and the organization in a very tenuous moral predicament.

The offseason hasn’t been particularly kind to second-year linebacker Reuben Foster. Which is to say, he hasn’t made the smartest choices this offseason. That decision making, lack of awareness, and accountability is something that should concern Lynch and HC Kyle Shanahan tremendously.

But, that’s another discussion for another time.

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Barely a month ago, Foster was arrested in Alabama for possession of marijuana. This, incidentally, is after an incident involving a fight with medical staff and a diluted urine sample (that counts as a positive test) that got him sent home from the NFL Combine last year.

Despite Foster’s history of off-field troubles, the 49ers made him a first-round pick (thirty-first overall) last season.

And for the year, he seemed to justify their decision to roll the dice on him. Despite missing six games with injury, Foster started all ten games he played in, racking up 72 tackles (59 solo), and had a pass defensed to his credit. More importantly, he kept his head down and his nose clean all season long.

Then the offseason hit, and as it’s done to so many a player over the years, it’s tripped Foster up. Big time.

Coming off his arrest for possession of pot, Foster found himself in an even bigger pile of trouble over the weekend, being booked on suspicion of domestic violence, as well as possession of an assault rifle.

The 49ers have already issued the perfunctory “We’re aware of the situation… blah, blah, blah,” statement, of course. But the charges against Foster leave them in a murky moral gray area.

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After all, they sent Tramaine Brock packing just hours after he’d been charged with domestic violence.

More than that, this is Foster’s second arrest in a month – which is bordering on Aldon Smith-esque territory on the scale of idiocy.

After Foster’s arrest last month on the pot charge – along with the issues that got him sent home from the Combine – Lynch had this to say:

"“He’s got to stay clean. 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.”"

Well, it would appear that Lynch and Shanahan’s belief in Foster’s ability to stay clean and stay out of trouble was incredibly misplaced and misguided, because here we are just a few weeks later, talking about Foster’s legal troubles again.

As a result, Lynch and the organization now not only have a massive headache to deal with, they’ve got a potential PR nightmare – as well as a big decision to make.

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The precedent was set with Brock. He got hit with a domestic violence charge, so the team cut him faster than you can actually say domestic violence. Foster not only has the pot charge, but a domestic violence charge — and an assault weapons charge, just to round out the trifecta of idiocy.

Given how the team dealt with Brock in the wake of his charges, it will be interesting – and quite telling – to see how they deal with Foster. Especially, in light of Lynch’s repeated comments about wanting high-character guys in the San Francisco locker room.

If one were to take a cynical eye to the two situations though, one would say that, on the one hand, Brock was a serviceable cornerback. He wasn’t anything special as a player and probably didn’t factor into the team’s long-term plans, so it was easy to cut him and take a stand on the moral high ground.

Foster though, is a different story. He’s a super talented kid who can be a force of nature on the field, and is definitely is a building block in the team’s long-term plans.

Is there anybody out there who actually believes Foster is getting run out of town on a rail like Brock?

If they cut Foster, they’re hurting their defense, because on the field, he’s a beast. If they don’t cut Foster, they’re going to look like absolute hypocrites. But, that’s what grandstanding and planting your flag on the moral high ground gets you.

We probably already know how this is all going to play out – Foster is going to get hit with at least a six-game suspension by the league, on the domestic violence charge. That seems to be the going rate for laying hands on a woman – just ask Ezekiel Elliot.

Beyond that though, given Foster’s level of talent and projected productivity for this club, we can probably expect the 49ers to basically do – nothing.

Despite the fact that they painted themselves into a corner with how they did Brock when he was hit with a domestic violence charge, it would be surprising – no, it would be downright shocking – if the 49ers did anything more than applaud a league-imposed suspension and say they agree with it wholeheartedly.

Hypocrisy, be damned.