Mason Foster looked ready to start next to Reuben Foster for the Washington Redskins next season.
Now he’s alone as the leader on the inside of the linebacker core in the wake of the other stater’s injury and tasked with helping along the promising Shaun Dion Hamilton.
Luckily for all, Foster made a point to slim down this year to better adapt to offenses.
“It was cool, man, I started feeling the difference right away,” Foster said, according to the Washington Post’s Kareem Copeland. “Trying to be healthier. I wanted to be in the best shape. I wanted to be able to really run. I’ve played at different weights, but figured I’d just get real light. I was riding my bike and it just felt good. Especially on your joints and your feet. It felt a lot better and just stayed with the diet.”
Foster wasn’t one of the most popular players last year by season’s end when the defense struggled. But running mate Zach Brown is gone, so the pressure was on this offseason for him to take a step forward.
Should Foster succeed, it wouldn’t be the first time in the evolving NFL a linebacker has gotten lighter and performed better. The Redskins need it now that the lineup has changed yet again inside.
