Reuben Foster - Injury prone? Or prone from injury?

[y2lamanaki]

Obviously, we've seen the games - for at least a couple of plays every game, Reuben Foster comes out of the game for what appears to be a minor injury (thankfully), but it does follow a serious injury from college, and one from the first game. In reporting this, a few beat writer' and coaches themselves seem to suggest that he might not really be injury prone, but because of his hard-hitting style, he's getting banged up easily this year- and that is because the shoulder injury from college prevented him from working on adding extra muscle to prevent this from happening. 

So - what do you think? Do you think we're in for a bunch of injuries every year, or will Foster be fine with a full offseason of strength workouts?

[J-ALL-DAY]

The extra strength should help some, but he does get a bit reckless at times so I don't expect this to completely stop. Maybe he won't have to leave every game like this season, but he won't exactly be an iron man either.

[rudyZ]

Maybe conditioning will help. Right now, it just looks like he's afraid of actually being injured. Who knows, maybe he was told by management to be overly cautious, rather than just play through the pain, like most players have to do. If it was the Superbowl, would he be in the blue tent so much? This is a losing season, better safe than sorry.

[J-ALL-DAY]

I don't really buy that thinking. He's in the tent because he is legitimately shaken up on those plays. His style of play and the lack of strength at this moment is leading to these minor injuries. This makes you appreciate Willis/Bownan even more. Both played so fast and so physical, yet they hardly ever went out of games with minor injuries. 

[y2lamanaki]

15 minutes ago, J-ALL-DAY said:

I don't really buy that thinking. He's in the tent because he is legitimately shaken up on those plays. His style of play and the lack of strength at this moment is leading to these minor injuries. This makes you appreciate Willis/Bownan even more. Both played so fast and so physical, yet they hardly ever went out of games with minor injuries. 

I think Foster can get there, too. Bowman/Willis both had entire offseasons to add strength,  so there's the hope. But I believe I agree with you, I think he's going to inevitably be banged up a lot.

[48 1/2ers]

52 minutes ago, rudyZ said:

Maybe conditioning will help. Right now, it just looks like he's afraid of actually being injured. Who knows, maybe he was told by management to be overly cautious, rather than just play through the pain, like most players have to do. If it was the Superbowl, would he be in the blue tent so much? This is a losing season, better safe than sorry.

I'm with this, if it was the superbowl when he messed up his ankle in that first game he would have came back in. But he was out for like 5 weeks so of course management is being cautious. The good thing is 0 concussions to this point, thats huge. 

[J-ALL-DAY]

1 hour ago, y2lamanaki said:

I think Foster can get there, too. Bowman/Willis both had entire offseasons to add strength,  so there's the hope. But I believe I agree with you, I think he's going to inevitably be banged up a lot.

But those guys didn't throw their bodies around like him. They were both stronger than Foster but also smarter. Just pay attention to Foster on every snap and he's all over the place, and often times on the ground since he is trying to take the fullback or guard out of the play. The added strength will help him not have to do that on every single play. Still, I wouldn't expect him to stop getting dinged up from time to time even with the added strength. It is what it is, as long as he could avoid the big injuries, we have an elite LB for the next 7 or so years.

[y2lamanaki]

22 minutes ago, J-ALL-DAY said:

But those guys didn't throw their bodies around like him. They were both stronger than Foster but also smarter. Just pay attention to Foster on every snap and he's all over the place, and often times on the ground since he is trying to take the fullback or guard out of the play. The added strength will help him not have to do that on every single play. Still, I wouldn't expect him to stop getting dinged up from time to time even with the added strength. It is what it is, as long as he could avoid the big injuries, we have an elite LB for the next 7 or so years.

I get all this. But as you said, added strength will help avoiding that, and will add extra "cushion" to his body as well (or so goes the theory).

[Forge]

I think that he's injury prone, and honestly, not sure that extra strength will actually help that. I think that there will be seasons he plays all 16 games, but I think there will be several games every season where he's being taken out with an injury. 

[TecmoSuperJoe]

Don't see him as a long term starter for us. Or anyone really. He's already getting hurt every single game. Already mentally preparing myself for his replacement as sad as that sounds. 

[48 1/2ers]

He needs to bring back the neckroll and everything will be fine

[rudyZ]

With coaching and experience, maybe he'll learn to play a safer and smarter game. He has the drive to become the best, and that should include the will to protect himself, in order to be on the field every single play.

[straighthate]

I think he has either a low pain tolerance or is scared of injury. He acts like it’s a career ender and then he’s back in two plays later. It’s not just being banged up from hitting hard. I’d love to see a list of everything he’s come off the field for, game by game, but I know there’s been a few where it had nothing to do with how hard he plays/hits. 

So yeah, I think that won’t change and he’ll always have injury concerns, even if it is just for a series a game or a game or two a year.