With a wrench thrown into the Washington Redskins defensive schemes so early in the year, players and coaches alike are left questioning where the team should go from here.
Reuben Foster’s ACL injury is a tough blow to overcome, as he was poised to quarterback the defense and add a much-needed boost in athleticism during his first year with the Redskins. However, there is a silver lining to him being pronounced ‘out for the year’ so early in the season — now there’s time to groom the next man up.
That next man up is Shaun Dion Hamilton, and he is ready for the task.
“I’m feeling good,” said Hamilton, via Redskins.com. “My body’s feeling good and I’m just happy to be around the team again. I’m definitely comfortable. I mean, a year in the system and just a year being a professional, just learning the ropes and going about how to take care of your body and certain things like that.”
Hamilton was drafted by Washington in 2018, taken during the sixth round. He now is set to be a major piece for the Redskins wanting defense. Luckily for the 23-year-old, there is a veteran presence alongside him who will be there to fill in the gaps.
Mason Foster is no stranger to the highs and lows that come with the NFL. After nine seasons in the league — five of which have been spent with the Redskins — Foster possesses the experiences necessary to help a relatively young team get over injury derailments early in the season. He also believes that Hamilton will do well when called upon.
“He looks great man,” said Foster. “He had a good intro year last year, you know, he’s been studying really hard and working hard this whole offseason. So, there are big things ahead of him. We got a glimpse of it last year and it’s going to be exciting to see how he develops into his second year.”
There’s no denying that losing a player like Foster is a serious roadblock, but with it coming so early in the season, Washington should be able to regroup and formulate a plan to fill the void of production left in the middle of the defense. They believe they have the right pieces in place to be successful as well.
