If inside linebacker Reuben Foster’s legal troubles this offseason cause his employment with the 49ers to end unexpectedly, he’d hardly be alone.
Since 2015, five standout linebackers have left the 49ers and each exit has come with varying degrees of surprise.
Of course, it’s certainly not clear Foster will join that group as the 49ers have not taken immediate action since he was arrested Sunday on charges of domestic violence, threats and possession of an assault weapon.
If, however, Foster’s second arrest in a 41-day span causes the 49ers to part ways, he’ll join this list (ranked from most to least surprising departure):
March 2015: LB Chris Borland retires
Two months after finishing a stellar rookie season, Borland, then 24, left the NFL and cited concerns about the “long-term effects of repetitive head trauma.