San Francisco 49ers rookie linebacker Reuben Foster is expected to miss a month or more following the high-ankle sprain he suffered on Sunday against the Carolina Panthers.
In the wake of the injury, the 49ers worked out two linebackers on Tuesday. The team brought in Sean Spence and Donald Butler, per a report by Field Yates of ESPN.
Source: with LB Reuben Foster dealing with an ankle injury, the 49ers worked out LB's Sean Spence and Donald Butler today.
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) September 12, 2017
Update: Spence has re-signed with the Indianapolis Colts.
Spence, 27, was a third-round draft pick out of the University of Miami (Fla.) by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2012. Over the past three seasons, which were spent with Pittsburgh and then the Tennessee Titans, he has played in 47 games and started 19. He signed a one-year deal with the Indianapolis Colts on March 19 but was released on September 2 during the team's 53-man roster cut-down. Over his career, Spence has 144 tackles, five sacks and three passes defensed.
Butler, 28, was a third-round draft pick out of the University of Washington by the San Diego Chargers in 2010. Over his five seasons with the Chargers, he started 62 games. Butler spent the 2016 offseason with the Arizona Cardinals and was then signed by the Miami Dolphins that September. He had 28 tackles last season through 14 games and five starts. Over his career, Butler has 401 tackles, seven sacks, 12 passes defensed and three interceptions.
No specific timetable for Foster's return was provided by 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan when he spoke to the media on Monday.
"[Head athletic trainer Jeff Ferguson] didn't give me an exact date because we don't know exactly with Reuben," Shanahan said. "We're going to put him in a boot here for a little bit but those tend to be a month, a little more, but I can't put exactly a date on it. That's my experience with high-ankle sprains."