Redskins exec: Reuben Foster issues are 'small potatoes'

Washington Redskins senior vice president of player personnel Doug Williams downplayed the controversial decision to claim linebacker Reuben Foster off waivers following his arrest for domestic violence.

"We've got people who are in high, high, high, high places that have done far worse, and if you look at it realistically, they're still up there," Williams told Doc Walker on The Team 980 on Thursday. "This is small potatoes (compared to) a lot of things out there. But at the same time, it's a big issue in America today, whether or not it's in football, whether or not it's in everyday life, whether or not it's in politics, it's out there."

The Redskins were the only team in the NFL to place a claim on Foster, who was waived by the San Francisco 49ers in light of his Saturday arrest. The acquisition provoked a public outcry.

"We knew there was going to be some backlash, and we understand that, and rightfully so," Williams said. "I've got six daughters, so it ain't something I would condone, but at the same time I think we are in the business of at least looking into (his case). I could sit here, and I won't, name a bunch of teams that took on players that got a lot of baggage that nobody's saying anything about. You can't get into nitpicking what they do and what you do. You gotta look at it from your standpoint. There was a lot of thought that went into it. It wasn't just a spur of the moment type of thing. We all gathered, we talked about it, we knew there was going to be some risk-reward involved in it."

Williams added that the Redskins' top officials were united in the decision to claim Foster, though it remains unknown who, exactly, was consulted. Head coach Jay Gruden said Wednesday he was game-planning for the Philadelphia Eagles when the claim was made.

The NFL placed Foster on the commissioner's exempt list once he was awarded to the Redskins, preventing him from playing while it investigates the incident.

Williams noted Washington spoke to two Redskins players who were teammates with Foster at Alabama, among other people, about the linebacker before claiming him.