Reuben Foster Activated Off PUP

Huge news and a jolt in the positive direction for the Washington Football Team on Sunday as Reuben Foster is coming back

There's been so many setbacks and distractions over just the last six weeks that the list is impossible to keep track of. 

Sunday, at least for now, the Washington Football Team got a huge lift as Reuben Foster was cleared and activated off the preseason PUP list. 

He essentially replaces Derrius Guice on the active roster which is beyond ironic considering how Foster arrived in Washington and how Guice departed. 

Foster's progress since February is a result of hard work and determination. The team correctly declined his fifth year option earlier this year. 

HOT READ: Summer Spotlight - Reuben Foster

What does it mean? 

He can now practice with the team in normal settings and slowly ramp up for his first game action with the organization since they claimed him on waivers in highly controversial fashion in late November 2018. 

Welcome back @ferrarifoster 😤 pic.twitter.com/hmkRJJyGLg

— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) August 9, 2020

Foster could very well be in the starting lineup on September 13th against the Eagles. 

Either way, his potential impact wakes up a mostly young and average talent base in the middle of the Washington defense. 

Steve Russ is Washington's new linebackers coach working under two former linebackers in Ron Rivera and Jack Del Rio. He was fired up last Tuesday about where Foster is mentally. 

WATCH: Linebackers Coach Steve Russ on Reuben Foster and more! 

“I treat him and teach him and interact with him, like he's going to be out there," Russ said.  That's the only way you can do it, right. There's an old saying that you never know if you're going to have an opportunity, but you better be prepared, right? It's better to be prepared and not have an opportunity to then have an opportunity to not be prepared.

"Reuben is treating it that way and I'm treating it that way with him," Russ continued. 

"My job is to make sure that he is ready when he hits that field. It's a lot of mental work. We were out today with the rookies and the injured guys were in. Reuben has been fantastic. I mean, he's back there taking mental reps. He's making the calls. He's lining up. He's putting himself in that position. He's saying out loud what he's going to do. I quiz guys a lot in meetings and one of the things I like to do with Reuben is Reuben will, push, mute. And I see Reuben making all the calls with his hands whether I asked him or not, and, I can see his lips moving whether I asked him a question or not. So, I told him, I don't have to ask you a question for you to be able to answer it. And I really like where Reuben is, I like his intent. I really like his focus. I like his discipline right now. 

The mental side of the game is what Russ was stressing. It's a huge sign and important if Foster is eventually going to run the defense and make the calls at outside or potentially the 'Mike' linebacker spot. 

"Obviously we're rooting for him. We are his biggest fans; I want to see him get back out there and play football," Russ said.  I know that's what he loves to do. And that's what he's worked very, very hard to do." 

"I coach the guys that I'm able to coach, but that'd be a fun one to work with. There's no doubt about that. And I like his approach right now. He's approaching it like, I'm going to be back out there and I'm going to be ready.”

Guess what? He is. Now. 

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Chris Russell is the Publisher of this site, a part of SI.com. He can be heard on 106.7 The FAN in the Washington D.C. area and world-wide on Radio.com. Chris also hosts the "Locked on Washington Football Team" Podcast and can be read via subscription to Warpath Magazine. You can e-mail Chris at russellmania09@Gmail.com or follow him on Twitter at @Russellmania621