Missing Mason Foster

December 14th, 2014
The Bucs defense suffers (like today) when MLB Mason Foster is in street clothes.

The Bucs defense suffers (like today) when MLB Mason Foster is in street clothes.

It’s unclear why a good chunk of Bucs fans don’t like Mason Foster. Joe doesn’t get it. At one point in Foster’s career, Joe thought the middle linebacker would be eating pineapple.

Foster has had a not-so good season this year, mainly because of injuries, of late, an Achilles problem. And lest fans think Foster is a bad player, consider how the Bucs defense has (not) fared with him watching from the sidelines, per good guy Gil Arcia of TheBayCave.com.

So what did the Bucs defense do today with Foster out again? Oh, they only gave up 390 yards of offense to the Stinking Panthers. Not bad, eh?

There are rumblings from One Buc Palace that the team may look to replace Foster at middle linebacker. Foster is a free agent after this season.

Bucs coach Lovie Smith has openly talked about Danny Lansanah getting a lot of work at middle linebacker, sort of a test drive. But it’s a suggestion defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier seemed to dismiss a couple of days later.

If the Bucs do turn the page on Foster, they better hope the defense doesn’t play like a sieve, as it has this season without Foster.

7 Responses to “Missing Mason Foster”

  1. StPeteBucsFan Says:

    Today the defensive problems were not on the back seven. Anderson had FOREVER in the pocket to survey the field, pick his targets, and the pocket never shrunk. No hurries, knock downs to speak of, mostly just flag football with Anderson sitting comfortably in the pocket.

    If a purer passer like Matty Ice has been the Panther QB today we would have been decimated like we were in Atlanta.

    We MUST find a rush from somewhere. Since Lovie and Frazier are clearly not clever enough to manage one with blitzers or deception, we need a true stud for the DL.

  2. Buccfan37 Says:

    The only rush the Bucs have on D is the rush to finish the season and call it a tough year.

  3. Tampabaybucfan Says:

    Speaking for Pablo

    “Pablo doesn’t like it when announcers say the defense can “pin their ears back” Pablo thinks that’s poking fun at Mason Foster. Pablo thinks Mason’s ears are cute” And Pablo misses him when he doesn’t play too!!!”

  4. BucsQcCity Says:

    I love Lansannah but after 2 game sample, it doesn’t seem like a natural fit at MLB. He made more splash play SLB and OLB

  5. Lou. Says:

    Joe:

    Nothing “unclear” here.

    Foster is an above-average player. He is especially suited to the Sam. But he has not been outstanding as a Mike, and the inevitable comparisons to past Bucs like Nickerson and Quarles leave him on the wrong side of history. What is more, fans remember the 2012 draft, one where taking Luke Kuechly would have been a two-fer (solving the Mike and letting Foster take his natural position as the Sam). And we remember his predecessor, the immoral (not immortal) Barrett Ruud. Not to mention the horrible backer play for most of his tenure.

    Mike is a statement position. Foster has not made the statement. Fans hope he stays and contributes, but we are skeptical that he will be a standout in the middle.

  6. sho nuff Says:

    i cant think of 1 play this guy made

  7. BuccaneerBonzai Says:

    I say sign him to a low contract, and bring in powerful competition against him. At best, he wins the battle, at worse he can be a backup to SAM and MLB. A good backup.

    A good team needs solid backups.