“Mason’s Fitting Into That Mold”
June 5th, 2014
Bucs icon and current linebackers coach Hardy Nickerson weighs in on shrinking Mason Foster. Photo courtesy of Buccaneers.com.
Joe’s detailed how Mason Foster is shrinking. He’s leaning out through diet and training.
Joe talked about this 1-0n-1 with Bucs icon and current linebackers coach Hardy Nickerson this week at One Buc Palace.
Nickerson, who along with Brian Urlacher is arguably the nastiest, most dominant Tampa-2 linebacker in history, says Foster’s weight change is fine with him.
Yeah, NFL players are bigger and stronger than they were 20 years ago, but it’s not a problem, Nickerson said, if Foster plays at 6-2, 230 pounds, which were Nickerson’s measurements.
“Playing the mike linebacker in this defense you gotta be able to run,” Nickerson said. “It’s generally been smaller guys that can run well and cover, be athletic, and bring it on Sundays.
“Mason’s fitting into that mold.”
“As a mike linebacker, you don’t need all that weight,” Nickerson emphasized. “Gotta be able to move, gotta be able to cover.”
This is a huge year for Foster, a contract year. He’ll be an unrestricted free agent after this season, if the Bucs let him get there.
Now Foster has the coaching staff in place, as well as elite talent around him. Joe expects a strong season from Foster, otherwise Joe’s confident Foster will be playing elsewhere in 2015.
June 5th, 2014 at 11:51 am
I cannot wait to see the defense on the field.
June 5th, 2014 at 11:55 am
I have to agree with you, Lurch, I am very anxious to see the Bucs D play; you know they are going to kick a$$. Hope that Oline can block…
June 5th, 2014 at 12:11 pm
Mason Foster is really set for a monster year. All the Best MASON, Go Get ‘Em!
June 5th, 2014 at 12:22 pm
Mason was drafted to be a cover 2 linebacker. I think he will definitely benefit from this coaching change and, in particular…..
HAR…..
……Dy!
I think we’ve got the pieces to be a hellafied D!
June 5th, 2014 at 12:36 pm
Seems like all these players who skinny down and get ripped become injury prone. Foster wore down in previous seasons so I hope this one is different.
Glad we signed Fletcher, we may need him at some point.
June 5th, 2014 at 12:38 pm
I’m a big Foster fan. His weight loss will benefit him in coverage and his tenacity will keep him productive in stopping the run. I hope he and GMC are ready, because teams are going to try and run it right down our throats. But if we can stop that, then they’ll be forced to play into our strengths.
June 5th, 2014 at 12:38 pm
I think our defense is going to be fantastic…we had talent…brought in more…and now they are being coached up. I always liked Foster and have seen some signs of greatness with him….but not consistently….hopefully he will turn the corner this year!!!
June 5th, 2014 at 12:46 pm
The LB corp is one area I have no worry about.
June 5th, 2014 at 12:58 pm
Mason foster didn’t wear done last year and if anything losing the extra weight well help, he has a naturally thick body and I’m sure if lavonte can play without that issue so can he. It’s been done before. You can’t say prove to injury so juice it up with wore done….You must be a glennon fan the way you spin it.
June 5th, 2014 at 1:30 pm
Since Mike Glennon will be our starting QB much of this season they’re preparing our defense to be ready to cover tons of passing routes. This is because Glennon will lead the offense to so many long TD drives that by the time the opposing offense makes it onto the field they will have such a lopsided time of possession disadvantage they’ll have no choice but to pass, pass, pass. Foster needs to be ready for that.
#gingercannon #mikeglennongoesboom
June 5th, 2014 at 1:39 pm
@buc4lyfe: Your post sucks.
Proofread.
–Look it up.
June 5th, 2014 at 1:49 pm
Piratic Says:
@buc4lyfe: Your post sucks.
Proofread.
–Look it up.
———————-
+1
June 5th, 2014 at 1:53 pm
@FLBoyInDallas: Your post is wildly delusional, and I love it!! If your vision somehow became reality, (regardless of QB) I would literally be dancing in the (Ybor) streets!!!
June 5th, 2014 at 3:10 pm
Glennon will only play if McCown is injured or he sucks. I don’t think he’ll suck, not the way they are adapting the offense to his srengths..
So injury is the magic word for Glennon.
June 5th, 2014 at 6:54 pm
I like the picture angle on the helmet. I don’t remember the old ones having that raised strip going up the middle. Kinda makes it look like dinosaur head or something. Maybe our DB’s nicknames will be the “Raptors”…
June 5th, 2014 at 6:55 pm
Nevermind that’s stupid