During last week’s OTAs, Ramon Foster skirmished with linebacker Shayon Green. Last Friday, Foster filled in on “The Fan Morning Show” with Colin Dunlap and Jim Colony and expanded on what preempted the incident.
His account of the fight began with Foster’s opinion of what OTAs are for.
“…young guys get the chance to learn the playbook, and you’re going through stuff and just working on the small things of football. The physical part isn’t in the spring time. So we had a few issues yesterday where some young guys, and some older guys, just took it to another level in the sense of, you know, going helmet to shoulder…when the ball is gone and you’re still digging in the ground trying to push and shove, that’s when it’s time to ‘ok buddy, let’s go, you’re not going to make the team right here in the spring time.’”
Though never saying his name outright, it’s fair to assume that message was directly pointed to the linebacker. It’s great to see a young guy like Green playing hard, but as Foster points out, there’s a line and is risking injury to his teammates. Hopefully Green will have a cooler head during this final week of OTAs, beginning today.
Foster was clearly happy about the opportunity to play with an offensive group that is nearly unchanged.
“I don’t think there’s been a year where guys haven’t been coming in and out, whether it’s the offensive line, whether it’s receivers, or whether we had some type of issue that comes up with suspension. It feels good. [Ben Roethlisberger] is able to say stuff, he’s throwing in some calls that haven’t even been installed this spring yet, and guys just know. So that’s one of the things you can do when you have experience.”
It’s easy to fall into the trap of getting too excited over a single comment in June, but it’s fantastic to hear a player brimming with confidence well before training camp is upon us.
The Steelers’ guard expanded on his comments about where the offense is at.
“If we’re not able to run it, we can pass it. If we’re having the passing game, we should be able to run the ball as well as anybody. Because Ben can check to it. He’s done some things where we think we’re running the ball and he’s throwing a hot somewhere.”
We’ve seen that time and time again from Roethlisberger over the last two years. The franchise quarterback has incredible freedom and control over the offense, almost as much as anyone in the league.
Foster is entrenched as the Steelers’ left guard for the year though his future – in the last year of his deal – is uncertain. But he has arguably been the team’s most reliable offensive lineman over the last several years.
