At the end of the preseason, the Chicago Bears made a move that surprised some, releasing inside linebacker Mason Foster, a veteran starter. The Washington Redskins hope that move now benefits them.
The Redskins signed Foster, adding depth to an area that was getting thin. They also signed corner Quinton Dunbar off the practice squad.
With Perry Riley still nursing a calf injury, the Redskins were down to two capable inside linebackers -- Keenan Robinson and Will Compton -- plus rookie Terrance Plummer. Foster at least provides some insurance. In the past, because Foster was a starter, he did not play special teams -- and that likely factored into why Chicago released him.
Foster, a third-round pick by Tampa Bay in 2011, started the past four years with the Bucs before signing a one-year deal with Chicago last offseason. Foster dislocated his shoulder in Week 2 last year, causing him to miss three games, and did not like playing in coach Lovie Smith's Tampa-2 system in Tampa, which calls for the middle linebacker to often drop deep in coverage.
"I like to mix it up, you know what I mean?" Foster told the Chicago Tribune this summer. "I feel like that's what linebackers should be doing, right? That's what I love to do. I love to go downhill and blitz (rather) than run down the middle in the deep third. It's just a better fit for me, and I think it's going to work out well."
He also told the Tribune in camp that he was motivated to prove he was healthy and still a good player. It's safe to say he'll use his release from the Bears in a similar way.
"People are always going to doubt you," he told the Tribune's Rich Campbell. "That chip on my shoulder is as big as ever. It's always been big, being from a small town (Seaside, California), and I didn't get recruited highly out of high school. I always felt like I had something to prove. But now it's even more evident. Just for me personally, I know what I have to do to show people the player that I am."
In four seasons, Foster has made 343 tackles, with 26 for a loss. He also intercepted five passes and recorded six sacks.
Dunbar replaces Justin Rogers on the roster. The Redskins placed Rogers on injured reserve earlier in the day. Dunbar switched from receiver to corner early in training camp and showed promise. He has long arms and excellent speed, but he'll be asked to contribute a lot sooner than initially desired.
