Mason Foster = wasted draft pick

[Tony7913144]

Does anyone remember how awful Rudd was in spot duty his first few years?  He had no clue what was going on.  Foster is going to be fine.  He has shown he has the physical tools along with the desire to learn (listen to this kid interview, very impressive).  Problem is, AGAIN, is that who the heck is he supposed to learn about the LB position from at this level?  Geno Hayes??? Q. Black?  You have to have professionals in place to teach the young guys and this just isn't present on this team.  It is a problem all across the board.  Oh, and fire Coach Rah, failed experiment, move on!

[JohnBuc06]

To me this all goes back to the coaching and GM ...remember in preseason we had Foster and McKenzie fighting for that MLB spot.  Both performed pretty much the same in the games, but even PR was reporting how good McKenzie looked in training camp.  The thought process was that McKenzie should be the MLB and Foster moved over to OLB spot.  But Raheem didn't want that as he had his guys (Hayes and the Cheetah) already written into those spots.  So essentially they handed the starting MLB spot to Foster as he was a high profile draft pick.  When McKenzie spoke up about getting passed over due to draft status and not actual performance he was quickly dumped by this regime.  At the time Radio/Dom stated it was because they felt McKenzie would not get any better and he is not making any "splash" plays ...how many has Foster made so far this season ...2???  Looking at our pathetic LB corps I would love to have seen if they would be any better with McKenzie at MLB, Foster at one OLB spot and then take you pick off the garbage pile for the other ...my gut tells me it would have been an improvement ..and still young and hungry so they continue to be part of the "plan".  This was plain and simple Radio dumping a guy that wasn't one of his "buddies", and it cost the team in performance and talent level.

[rook0429]

Foster does not have the physical tools. He gets push out many times by one arm out of the play because he over runs the gap. The OL just pushes him and uses his own momentum against him. He can not get off blockers which is a problem all our backers have. Everybody scapegoated Ruud as the source of all our run problems last year. It clearly is not. The Defensive line is better than last year's line but the safety support and all three linebackers blow. This year because of the lack of veteran leadership, they are now out of place and lost the ability to cover passes.

Who is left to mentor these linebackers and tell them where their gaps and where they are suppose to be? It is certainly not Black because he has been the most guilty of free lancing and not doing his job. Take his 11.5 million dollar guarantee and set it on fire because he is waste of all that money in his 29 million dollar contract. Hayes? Maybe the best linebacker skill wise of the group (tallest midget again) but he is not a brainiac either when it comes to the system.

Add the fact that safeties Sean Jones and Tanard Jacksonm have been missing tons of tackles, the ru d is putrid while the pass cvoverage which was above average last year has fallen into a bottomless pit. The main point is we downgraded the defense even though thl defensive line smokes the clowns we had last year.

[nybuccguy]

Foster will be fine once we move him to OLB, get a real MLB, and a real LB coach.

[Skull and Bones]

an honest question here:  How would moving him to the outside help?

[alldaway]

an honest question here:  How would moving him to the outside help?

Yeah I don't understand because the coverage is more important for OLB's. 

[ryan24]

To me this all goes back to the coaching and GM ...remember in preseason we had Foster and McKenzie fighting for that MLB spot.  Both performed pretty much the same in the games, but even PR was reporting how good McKenzie looked in training camp.  The thought process was that McKenzie should be the MLB and Foster moved over to OLB spot.  But Raheem didn't want that as he had his guys (Hayes and the Cheetah) already written into those spots.  So essentially they handed the starting MLB spot to Foster as he was a high profile draft pick.  When McKenzie spoke up about getting passed over due to draft status and not actual performance he was quickly dumped by this regime.  At the time Radio/Dom stated it was because they felt McKenzie would not get any better and he is not making any "splash" plays ...how many has Foster made so far this season ...2???  Looking at our pathetic LB corps I would love to have seen if they would be any better with McKenzie at MLB, Foster at one OLB spot and then take you pick off the garbage pile for the other ...my gut tells me it would have been an improvement ..and still young and hungry so they continue to be part of the "plan".  This was plain and simple Radio dumping a guy that wasn't one of his "buddies", and it cost the team in performance and talent level.

I think PR completely misinterpreted McKenzie. He's now down the depth chart on the Vikes roster. If we're complaining about a guy who barely belongs in the league not being part of the LBer rotation then it's not worth the discussion. McKenzie wasn't going to make a difference.

[Skull and Bones]

To me this all goes back to the coaching and GM ...remember in preseason we had Foster and McKenzie fighting for that MLB spot.  Both performed pretty much the same in the games, but even PR was reporting how good McKenzie looked in training camp.  The thought process was that McKenzie should be the MLB and Foster moved over to OLB spot.  But Raheem didn't want that as he had his guys (Hayes and the Cheetah) already written into those spots.  So essentially they handed the starting MLB spot to Foster as he was a high profile draft pick.  When McKenzie spoke up about getting passed over due to draft status and not actual performance he was quickly dumped by this regime.  At the time Radio/Dom stated it was because they felt McKenzie would not get any better and he is not making any "splash" plays ...how many has Foster made so far this season ...2???  Looking at our pathetic LB corps I would love to have seen if they would be any better with McKenzie at MLB, Foster at one OLB spot and then take you pick off the garbage pile for the other ...my gut tells me it would have been an improvement ..and still young and hungry so they continue to be part of the "plan".  This was plain and simple Radio dumping a guy that wasn't one of his "buddies", and it cost the team in performance and talent level.

I think PR completely misinterpreted McKenzie. He's now down the depth chart on the Vikes roster. If we're complaining about a guy who barely belongs in the league not being part of the LBer rotation then it's not worth the discussion. McKenzie wasn't going to make a difference.

I have to agree.  But it does show Morris/Dom M.O. and favoritism.

[ryan24]

To me this all goes back to the coaching and GM ...remember in preseason we had Foster and McKenzie fighting for that MLB spot.  Both performed pretty much the same in the games, but even PR was reporting how good McKenzie looked in training camp.  The thought process was that McKenzie should be the MLB and Foster moved over to OLB spot.  But Raheem didn't want that as he had his guys (Hayes and the Cheetah) already written into those spots.  So essentially they handed the starting MLB spot to Foster as he was a high profile draft pick.  When McKenzie spoke up about getting passed over due to draft status and not actual performance he was quickly dumped by this regime.  At the time Radio/Dom stated it was because they felt McKenzie would not get any better and he is not making any "splash" plays ...how many has Foster made so far this season ...2???  Looking at our pathetic LB corps I would love to have seen if they would be any better with McKenzie at MLB, Foster at one OLB spot and then take you pick off the garbage pile for the other ...my gut tells me it would have been an improvement ..and still young and hungry so they continue to be part of the "plan".  This was plain and simple Radio dumping a guy that wasn't one of his "buddies", and it cost the team in performance and talent level.

I think PR completely misinterpreted McKenzie. He's now down the depth chart on the Vikes roster. If we're complaining about a guy who barely belongs in the league not being part of the LBer rotation then it's not worth the discussion. McKenzie wasn't going to make a difference.

I have to agree.  But it does show Morris/Dom M.O. and favoritism.

Not really. The assumption is that mckenzie was doing anything at all. I didn't see it. He looked more lost than Foster.

[buchead]

The difference between OLB and MLB is in the name. Outside LBs have to cover the outside. Obviously there is more traffic and responsibilities in the middle of the field. Theres probably twice as much going on. Geno Hayes looks decent in coverage because as a weak side LB there is only a handful of routes the RB or the TE will do. And 9 times out of 10 its probably a 5 to 10 yard out route. MLB is the hardest LB position on this defense and he has been the best LB on this defense. Factor in he is a rookie, not a pure MLB, and has terrible coaching and no talent on either side of him and I think he will be just fine. It would be dumb to give up on him. The only way he is a "wasted draft pick" is if they do infact give up on him after 1 season like this thread suggests.

[ToddyBuc]

He needs to move to OLB and get a MLB in free agency..

Unless we get a coach that switches to a 3-4 defense then he could really excel maybe in that scenario.. 

To early to say he's a bust..

[lazoran]

Man some of our fans are stupid.. What do you expect from a rookie MLB? He has done a decent job. Yes, he has struggled but you respect that from a rookie MLB especially one who has switched positions from OLB. I'm not worried about Foster he is one of my few worries on our defense. He has showed some potential and thats all you can really ask from him at this point.

[bucsquad]

Man some of our fans are stupid.. What do you expect from a rookie MLB? He has done a decent job. Yes, he has struggled but you respect that from a rookie MLB especially one who has switched positions from OLB. I'm not worried about Foster he is one of my few worries on our defense. He has showed some potential and thats all you can really ask from him at this point.

+1
our best LB

[LUGZ]

Mason Foster = a Rookie

[MiltonMack21]

Man some of our fans are stupid.. What do you expect from a rookie MLB? He has done a decent job. Yes, he has struggled but you respect that from a rookie MLB especially one who has switched positions from OLB. I'm not worried about Foster he is one of my few worries on our defense. He has showed some potential and thats all you can really ask from him at this point.

He was involved in giving up 28 of the points last night, he sucks and the quicker we move on from him the better off the Bucs defense will be. No big loss, Dominik tosses around 3rd and 4th round picks like they are nothing.