Mason Foster Starting MLB

[brasho]

Originally Posted by bullg8rdaddy

Also the current F.O. and coaching staff have:

• re-signed Black and Hayward
• drafted Watson and Foster
• signed McKenzie

JMHO, but I think they will be partial to these 5 going forward. Sorry Hayes, but if you don't get better and more consistent, you might be gone like Ruud.

The dude is turning 24 tomorrow (which makes him only one year older than Clayborn) and has been starting since he was a 21 year old 2nd year player. He's young, he's improving (4 sacks in last 4 games last season) and I'm sure he'll be given a fair chance.

[brasho]

Originally Posted by brasho

Two words---helmet headset.

That being said, only one player is allowed on the field with the green dot on their helmets (headset helmets)... and according to witnesses and Morris himself, right now the plan is to play Geno and Quincy in the nickel (4-2-5) alignments... so who'll be wearing the helmet headset this season? Or will we still have it on the Mike even if he's coming off the field in nickel situations (33-50% of the time)?

To answer my own question, and after requesting two different media members to ask Raheem the question in the new conference, perhaps not so coincidentally, Raheem stated that the Mike LB will wear the helmet headset. Meaning he will come off the field in 3 WR situations and Quincy will be the Mike in the nickel and will rely on hand signals for the calls. Kind of makes you wonder why Quincy isn't just considered the Mike and in charge of calling the plays from the Sam spot...

[V.I.P]

Why not just give Quincy the headset? Silly coaching staff..

[ArkyRamsFan]

Originally Posted by V-I-P

Found this in another article on the same site..



There has been a few MLB r4cently to start right away and produce recently, Jon Beason, Patrick Willis, Johnathon Vilma, and DaMeco Ryans, but they all were were first round picks. I know Foster's draft position has nothing to do with how he performs, so let's just wait and see.

On second thought, i think throwing him in early is a good idea. Since our defense is young (rookies, 2nd year, 3rd year players). They'll all just go through growing pains together.

Don't forget about James Laurinaitis of the Rams. He was drafted as a 2nd rounder but has been a starter from day one and has been the QB of our defense ever since....

[etk]

Originally Posted by ArkyRamsFan

Don't forget about James Laurinaitis of the Rams. He was drafted as a 2nd rounder but has been a starter from day one and has been the QB of our defense ever since....

He was the first to come to mind for me when I posted about how common productive rookie LBs are.

[bucfan12]

http://twitter.com/#!/TBBuccaneers

Rah confirmed Quincy is going to be the MIKE in the nickle packages, makes me think he'll be wearing the headset.

[brasho]

Originally Posted by bucfan12

http://twitter.com/#!/TBBuccaneers

Rah confirmed Quincy is going to be the MIKE in the nickle packages, makes me think he'll be wearing the headset.

Yeah, stated as much the other day a couple posts before... but according to Morris, Black will NOT wear the headset, Foster will, but Quincy will have to rely on hand signals to get the calls from the sidelines.... Why not give Black the green dot?

[V.I.P]

Barber said Foster & McKenzie are both making mistakes. Which we expected, but hopefully they're aren't ******* up the plays, and formations to bad :/

[bucfan12]

Originally Posted by V-I-P

Barber said Foster & McKenzie are both making mistakes. Which we expected, but hopefully they're aren't ******* up the plays, and formations to bad :/

He's a rookie and will make mistakes. But he's talented and will make plays as well. Foster, after watching film of him, is an absolute beast. He explodes into gaps and attacks the ball carrier, rather than waiting like Ruud.

I watched Ruud and Foster film and compared the 2 and wow, HUGE difference. There is a reason Foster is and will be the starting MIKE. He;ll make mistakes but better make them early and learn from then. At MLB, you won't gain expereince by sitting on the bench.

[V.I.P]

Foster wins round one. I like that Rah has Black calling the plays so that Foster/McKenzie can just get the basics of the defense down before needing to run the entire thing with no experience. Foster looks fast because his instincts send him in the right direction a split second earlier....he has a lot of work to do but he will have a very defined role this season on first, 2nd, and short yardage downs so it won't be so bad if he can execute that.

[brasho]

Originally Posted by V-I-P

Foster wins round one. I like that Rah has Black calling the plays so that Foster/McKenzie can just get the basics of the defense down before needing to run the entire thing with no experience. Foster looks fast because his instincts send him in the right direction a split second earlier....he has a lot of work to do but he will have a very defined role this season on first, 2nd, and short yardage downs so it won't be so bad if he can execute that.

Black's calling plays... where was it a few weeks back that I said that would eventually happen? I'm not bad at this prediction thing, am I?

[bullg8rdaddy]

Don't break your arm patting yourself on the back, brash. lol

[etk]

Originally Posted by bullg8rdaddy

Don't break your arm patting yourself on the back, brash. lol

lol, if I had a nickel for every team he mentioned how he predicted us to win 9//10 games last year...

[V.I.P]

Originally Posted by etk

lol, if I had a nickel for every team he mentioned how he predicted us to win 9//10 games last year...

If i had a nickel for every time he predicted something that Morris already said in a Press Confrence.

[V.I.P]

McKenzie is right, it does feel like foster was just handed the job.....

http://www2.tbo.com/sports/breaking-...out-ar-250810/

TAMPA --

Have the Buccaneers settled on a starting middle linebacker?

If you ask Bucs LB Tyrone McKenzie, he will tell you rookie Mason Foster already has been given the job.

"Whatever I can do to help us win, that's what I've been focused on since I was informed it wasn't a competition after the second practice (by the coaching staff)," McKenzie said. "If they give me a chance, I'll be ready."

If you ask Bucs coach Raheem Morris, he will tell you McKenzie is wrong.

"If he feels like it's not going to happen already, I can guarantee you it won't," Morris said. "That thing is wide open."

McKenzie was signed to Tampa Bay's practice squad from New England last November. He was promoted to Tampa Bay's active roster on Dec. 14 and appeared in three games.

McKenzie also flew to Nebraska last summer to learn the playbook from former Bucs LB Barrett Ruud, plus helped organize many of the team's workouts during the lockout.

However, Morris said there are no immediate plans to have McKenzie start any preseason games.

"You have to earn the right to start," Morris said. "You're not given anything around here. You have to earn that in practice. You have to go out there and show me something that makes me start you.

"You can have the ability to do that every day with your work and how you maintain your defense and how you handle your business, so I'm not prepared to answer that question yet on how he handles being second (string) because he's not second yet."

McKenzie previously asked New England to release him when he believed the Patriots would not allow him to fight for a starting position, but he has no intentions of asking Tampa Bay to do the same.

"I just want to work hard. I love being a Buc," McKenzie said. "Growing up, this was my team. This team taught me a lot about how to play defense. I love being here. Hopefully I can be here for a long time.

"I'm going to stick it out, work hard and let the cards play out. Hopefully, I'll get an opportunity again. If I get it, I'll take it. I respect their decision. I'm going to keep working hard and work hard for my opportunity."

[bullg8rdaddy]

Damn. If he truly feels that way ("stick it out"), I have a lot more respect for him now.

[bucfan12]

Listen, ever since Foster was drafted, he's been pegged as the starter at MLB.

I can understand McKenzie's frustration about the "competition" or lack there of, but it's not like Foster has been a disapointment. Yes, he's a rookie and it took him only a few practices to get adjusted and has since been very good.

I saw in the pre-season game that he just has that instinct and flys to the ball carrier and has excellent awareness. He's built like a MLB.

I trust Morris to the point if Foster wasn't performing up to speed and McKenzie was light years ahead, McKenzie would be starting. However, Foster has still been better.

[V.I.P]

No one is really stepping up in the MLB battle.

[bucfan12]

Originally Posted by V-I-P

No one is really stepping up in the MLB battle.

HAHA wow. I think you're all overreacting over a stupid exhibition game that meant nothing.

Foster is a rookie and will make his mistakes, but he's going to show you why he was drafted to take the MLB position. That hit on OCHO was NASTY!

He's not bad in coverage, the Pats are just well advanced right now and didn't take this game as an exhibition, and Belichik will never do that. This is a guy who never liked kicking fgs on 4th and 4 inside the opponents 20. He goes for the kill, preseason or not, blow out or not.

[V.I.P]

Originally Posted by bucfan12

HAHA wow. I think you're all overreacting over a stupid exhibition game that meant nothing.

Foster is a rookie and will make his mistakes, but he's going to show you why he was drafted to take the MLB position. That hit on OCHO was NASTY!

He's not bad in coverage, the Pats are just well advanced right now and didn't take this game as an exhibition, and Belichik will never do that. This is a guy who never liked kicking fgs on 4th and 4 inside the opponents 20. He goes for the kill, preseason or not, blow out or not.

Overreacting? I didn't say anyone looked terrible, just that Foster, and McKenzie hasn't done anything to separate them selves from one another. Also, the Ocho hit was so nasty that it cost us 15+ yards!

[bucfan12]

Originally Posted by V-I-P

Overreacting? I didn't say anyone looked terrible, just that Foster, and McKenzie hasn't done anything to separate them selves from one another. Also, the Ocho hit was so nasty that it cost us 15+ yards!

That was a good hit. Just the dumb rules now are going to make any ref throw a flag.

I wanna know how much the fine's going to be for Foster.

[the dude]

everytime i see Foster, im impressed with his tools and his aggressiveness. Do you guys think he see the field enough to be in consideration for droy?

[V.I.P]

Originally Posted by bucfan12

That was a good hit. Just the dumb rules now are going to make any ref throw a flag.

I wanna know how much the fine's going to be for Foster.

Enough for he 3rd round salary ;)

Here is a Tweet from Ocho Cinco's Twitter..

@Mason_Foster great hit last night,if u're fined I'll reimburse u boss.That's the way the game should b played.Stay healthy n have a good yr

[V.I.P]

Originally Posted by the dude

everytime i see Foster, im impressed with his tools and his aggressiveness. Do you guys think he see the field enough to be in consideration for droy?

Foster would have a good shot if he played all 3 downs, but limited playing time might give him a lesser chance.

[brasho]

Originally Posted by V-I-P

If i had a nickel for every time he predicted something that Morris already said in a Press Confrence.

Actually, I predicted the stuff BEFORE Morris said it... as in Black being the man with the headset. Morris confirmed my prediction a few days later... so technically, that would leave you without any nickles.