Tracking the linebacker corps

[turtle28]

‪OLB Reuben Foster says return after two years away is 'weird.”

http://www.nbcsports.com/washington/video/washington-lb-reuben-foster-says-return-after-two-years-away-weird?ls=social-vid‬

 

Edited August 15, 2020 by turtle28

[naptownskinsfan]

3 hours ago, turtle28 said:

Yeah, and he has have rehabbed that injury. The shoulder injury was two years ago. You really, really don’t like Reuben Foster do you?

Like doesn't have anything to do with it.  All I am saying is that the guy has two career-threatening injuries.  He came into the NFL with shoulder concerns- they, along with off-field concerns, dropped him in the draft.  Those shoulder concerns started with a neck stinger during his first spring camp.  

Now, he's recovered from a horrendous knee injury, and it's been compared to another person who fell in the draft because of it.  

I think you underestimate the mental game of the NFL.  One bad step, and his knee could be shredded.  One bad form on a tackle, and his shoulder could be torn to shreds.  That's going to always be in the back of his mind going out there.  

Anything we get out of the guy is going to be gravy.  Expecting the player he was in the rookie season is just crazy talk.  Even comparing him to Jaylon Smith is crazy, not just because every person's body is different, but Jaylon Smith also doesn't have the shoulder injuries either.  

[turtle28]

38 minutes ago, naptownskinsfan said:

Like doesn't have anything to do with it.  All I am saying is that the guy has two career-threatening injuries.  He came into the NFL with shoulder concerns- they, along with off-field concerns, dropped him in the draft.  Those shoulder concerns started with a neck stinger during his first spring camp.  

Now, he's recovered from a horrendous knee injury, and it's been compared to another person who fell in the draft because of it.  

I think you underestimate the mental game of the NFL.  One bad step, and his knee could be shredded.  One bad form on a tackle, and his shoulder could be torn to shreds.  That's going to always be in the back of his mind going out there.  

Anything we get out of the guy is going to be gravy.  Expecting the player he was in the rookie season is just crazy talk.  Even comparing him to Jaylon Smith is crazy, not just because every person's body is different, but Jaylon Smith also doesn't have the shoulder injuries either.  

Oh I definitely agree anything we get out of him is gravy and I definitely agree that he has a lot of mental issues to overcome to where he trusts his knee again - the shoulder? Not so sure on that one. 
 

You keep bringing up the shoulder issues as if you know they are a definite problem today? Do you? I haven’t seen it reported at all.

The shoulder injuries were two years ago. He had the shoulder issues before he even tore his knee up last May. As far as I know he’s over the shoulder issues, if he wasn’t it would be reported that he’s dealing with them.

I don’t expect Foster to play like Jaylon Smith this year or as Foster played as a rookie this year. What I’m hopeful for is that he flashes some as a situational player as we ease him back in - maybe at first his just a dime LB?
 

Having Foster only play in obvious passing situations to try to protect him against a lot of contact at the line of scrimmage as he works himself back makes sense to me again. Then, I’m hopeful that Foster returns to his rookie form in the 2021 season and has made his way back in the way Jaylon Smith did.

I’m hopeful these young guys will develop under Thomas Davis & Bostic’s leadership but, that’s probably just a hope. As @e16bball said - and he’s usually right - it’s not likely that Holcomb or SDH are long term options at any of the LB spots, they’re probably career back up quality. It’s also not likely that Foster returns to his rookie form or that Anderson develops into a starting  SLB that we play on run downs, but I’ll continue to hope they all development into starter quality LBs.

Edited August 15, 2020 by turtle28

[naptownskinsfan]

9 minutes ago, turtle28 said:

Oh I definitely agree anything we get out of him is gravy and I definitely agree that he has a lot of mental issues to overcome to where he trusts his knee again - the shoulder? Not so sure on that one. 
 

You keep bringing up the shoulder issues as if you know they are a definite problem today? Do you? I haven’t seen it reported at all.

Those injuries were two years ago. He had the shoulder issues before he even tore his knee up last May. As far as I know he’s over the shoulder issues, if he wasn’t it would be reported that he’s dealing with them.

I don’t expect Foster to play like Jaylon Smith this year or as he did as a rookie this year. What I’m hopeful for is that he flashes some as a situational player as we ease him back in - maybe at first his just a dime LB? Only plays in obvious passing situations to try to protect him against a lot of contact at the line of scrimmage as he works himself back. Then, I’m hopeful that Foster returns to his rookie form in the 2021 season and has made his way back in the way Jaylon Smith did.

I’m hopeful these young guys will develop under Thomas Davis & Bostic’s leadership but, that’s probably just a hope. As @e16bball said - and he’s usually right - it’s not likely that Holcomb or SDH are long term options at MLB or WLB just as it’s not likely that Foster returns to his rookie form or that Anderson develops into a starting  SLB that we play on run downs, but I hope their development into starters happens.

https://www.al.com/alabamafootball/2015/08/how_reuben_foster_fixed_his_ta.html

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/report-reuben-fosters-shoulder-surgery-didnt-take-led-to-surprising-draft-fall/

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2707532-reuben-fosters-nfl-draft-slide-reportedly-due-to-shoulder-injury

https://theathletic.com/613625/2018/10/25/what-exactly-is-wrong-with-reuben-fosters-shoulder-heres-what-we-know-as-he-tries-to-turn-his-2018-around/

He had a stinger on his first spring practice, and the last time he was on the field, was basically playing with one arm.  His shoulder is probably worse than Guice's knees.  Whether it is being reported as an issue now isn't relevant, but the history is there and one bad hit could tear his shoulder up for good. 

[turtle28]

37 minutes ago, naptownskinsfan said:

https://www.al.com/alabamafootball/2015/08/how_reuben_foster_fixed_his_ta.html

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/report-reuben-fosters-shoulder-surgery-didnt-take-led-to-surprising-draft-fall/

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2707532-reuben-fosters-nfl-draft-slide-reportedly-due-to-shoulder-injury

https://theathletic.com/613625/2018/10/25/what-exactly-is-wrong-with-reuben-fosters-shoulder-heres-what-we-know-as-he-tries-to-turn-his-2018-around/

He had a stinger on his first spring practice, and the last time he was on the field, was basically playing with one arm.  His shoulder is probably worse than Guice's knees.  Whether it is being reported as an issue now isn't relevant, but the history is there and one bad hit could tear his shoulder up for good. 

Maybe, but I do know it’s 2020, not 2017 or 2018. I’m not going to pretend to be a doctor. 

Edited August 15, 2020 by turtle28

[naptownskinsfan]

2 hours ago, turtle28 said:

Maybe, but I do know it’s 2020, not 2017 or 2018. I’m not going to pretend to be a doctor. 

You dont need to be a doctor to see patterns.  His form on tackling has been poor enough to cause multiple stingers, which led to a surgery that didn't take, which led to him essentially playing on one arm and needing another surgery.  

Hopefully he's fixed his tackling form, but that's been an issue throughout his career.  He may also revert if he is feeling uncomfortable with his knee as well.  

[turtle28]

9 hours ago, naptownskinsfan said:

You dont need to be a doctor to see patterns.  His form on tackling has been poor enough to cause multiple stingers, which led to a surgery that didn't take, which led to him essentially playing on one arm and needing another surgery.  

Hopefully he's fixed his tackling form, but that's been an issue throughout his career.  He may also revert if he is feeling uncomfortable with his knee as well.  

Hopefully the better coaching we have now w/ Rivera & DelRio we can fix the tackling form issues. I’m just not going to assume his shoulder is going to be an ongoing chronic problem bc he struggled with his shoulders a few years ago. You could be right, time will tell.