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| ‘Beavis and Butt-Head’ is a hit at linebacker for the Redskins | ‘Beavis and Butt-Head’ is a hit at linebacker for the Redskins |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The Washington Redskins’ locker room was eerily quiet after Wednesday’s practice. As players unwound on their locker stools, Mason Foster peeled off the athletic tape from his fingers while answering questions about Will Compton. | The Washington Redskins’ locker room was eerily quiet after Wednesday’s practice. As players unwound on their locker stools, Mason Foster peeled off the athletic tape from his fingers while answering questions about Will Compton. |
| As Foster shared stories of grabbing sushi on Friday nights with his fellow inside linebacker sitting six locker stalls away, Compton interrupted. | As Foster shared stories of grabbing sushi on Friday nights with his fellow inside linebacker sitting six locker stalls away, Compton interrupted. |
| “What story are you telling over there?” Compton said. “You lying! We got sushi one time.” | “What story are you telling over there?” Compton said. “You lying! We got sushi one time.” |
| The lighthearted exchange lasted a minute, engaging other Redskins players in their corner of the locker room. Foster and Compton have been as full of entertainment off the field as they have been productive on it for the Redskins defense. | The lighthearted exchange lasted a minute, engaging other Redskins players in their corner of the locker room. Foster and Compton have been as full of entertainment off the field as they have been productive on it for the Redskins defense. |
| [Steinberg: The Redskins see your mean tweets] | [Steinberg: The Redskins see your mean tweets] |
| The two have played well together as starters over the last three games at inside linebacker, solidifying a position that has dealt with injuries and inconsistency all season. In their first game together, Week 13 against the Dallas Cowboys, Foster and Compton led the team with seven tackles apiece, and Foster added a forced fumble and recovery. | The two have played well together as starters over the last three games at inside linebacker, solidifying a position that has dealt with injuries and inconsistency all season. In their first game together, Week 13 against the Dallas Cowboys, Foster and Compton led the team with seven tackles apiece, and Foster added a forced fumble and recovery. |
| They have swarmed to the ball against the run and been decent in coverage, averaging a total of almost 12 tackles over the last three games to give the Redskins some much-needed depth during their postseason push. Week 1 starters Perry Riley Jr. and Keenan Robinson have missed a combined seven games over the last month. Riley will be inactive for the fourth straight game Saturday against the Philadelphia Eagles as he recovers from right foot surgery. Although Robinson has suited up the last two weeks after returning from a shoulder issue, he has taken a backseat to Foster and Compton. | They have swarmed to the ball against the run and been decent in coverage, averaging a total of almost 12 tackles over the last three games to give the Redskins some much-needed depth during their postseason push. Week 1 starters Perry Riley Jr. and Keenan Robinson have missed a combined seven games over the last month. Riley will be inactive for the fourth straight game Saturday against the Philadelphia Eagles as he recovers from right foot surgery. Although Robinson has suited up the last two weeks after returning from a shoulder issue, he has taken a backseat to Foster and Compton. |
| Compton has played in all 14 games this season, starting eight, and ranks second on the team with 81 tackles. Foster has 24 tackles in 11 games. | Compton has played in all 14 games this season, starting eight, and ranks second on the team with 81 tackles. Foster has 24 tackles in 11 games. |
| “We had to find replacements and the replacements we found took advantage of the reps,” Redskins Coach Jay Gruden said. “They’re playing good, sound football, and they’re fundamentally making good tackles, and they’re communicating, and they’re in the right spot. They’re making people around them better, especially Will, he’s making people around him better.” | |
| [Gruden is pushing all the right buttons] | [Gruden is pushing all the right buttons] |
| It’s a friendship that was established fairly quickly. Foster signed with the Redskins on Sept. 23 as a free agent. He was a surprise cut by the Chicago Bears following training camp despite starting the previous four seasons for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Compton, in his third season, began the season as a backup. Both were second-string linebackers and had two friends in Redskins linebacker Adam Hayward, who is on injured reserve, and Bucs linebacker Lavonte David, who played with Foster in the NFL and with Compton at Nebraska. | It’s a friendship that was established fairly quickly. Foster signed with the Redskins on Sept. 23 as a free agent. He was a surprise cut by the Chicago Bears following training camp despite starting the previous four seasons for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Compton, in his third season, began the season as a backup. Both were second-string linebackers and had two friends in Redskins linebacker Adam Hayward, who is on injured reserve, and Bucs linebacker Lavonte David, who played with Foster in the NFL and with Compton at Nebraska. |
| “There’s no surprise to me they’re quickly getting along right now,” David said. “Will is probably the goofier one, and Mason is the guy that likes to sit back, laugh and feed off of everybody else’s laughter. Both of them are very easygoing and happy guys. Never have I seen them down about anything, and they’re always happy and ready to go to work.” | “There’s no surprise to me they’re quickly getting along right now,” David said. “Will is probably the goofier one, and Mason is the guy that likes to sit back, laugh and feed off of everybody else’s laughter. Both of them are very easygoing and happy guys. Never have I seen them down about anything, and they’re always happy and ready to go to work.” |
| The way they interact, you’d think they were bunk buddies in Richmond during the summer. Foster calls Compton “Wild Bill”; Compton calls Foster “Billy Mason” after learning Foster’s middle name is William. | The way they interact, you’d think they were bunk buddies in Richmond during the summer. Foster calls Compton “Wild Bill”; Compton calls Foster “Billy Mason” after learning Foster’s middle name is William. |
| “They need their own TV show, man,” said left tackle Trent Williams, who has a corner locker between Foster and Compton. “Look at them, man. Beavis and Butt-Head.” | “They need their own TV show, man,” said left tackle Trent Williams, who has a corner locker between Foster and Compton. “Look at them, man. Beavis and Butt-Head.” |
| [Cousins and his brother apply for trademark for ‘You like that’] | [Cousins and his brother apply for trademark for ‘You like that’] |
| Communication is necessary at the position, and sometimes it takes time away from the facility to develop the right chemistry. The game within the game involves a controller, a headset and a flat-screen television. Foster isn’t a fan of the Xbox One, but he bought one to play Tom Clancy’s “Rainbow Six Siege” online with Compton, Riley and cornerback DeAngelo Hall as a way to unwind away from football while building camaraderie. | |
| “Basically, we just mess with each other all the time,” Compton said. “I think we communicate well. He’s really eager to understand communication things I talk about, not that mine is up above, but I like to talk a lot. We both like to take it upon ourselves to understand where each other comes from when we talk about tendencies and situation football: ‘If I do this, I’m going to need you to get me in case this happens.’ We play off each other and have each other’s backs. | |
| “At the end of the day at inside linebacker, you’ve just got to run and hit, as long as you communicate, get lined up and figure out what you’re doing. That’s what we preach at each other to meet at the ball.” | |
| Right after Compton halted the interview, Foster interrogated him with a series of questions to prove they went out for sushi. Compton admitted defeat, standing silently with a grin. | Right after Compton halted the interview, Foster interrogated him with a series of questions to prove they went out for sushi. Compton admitted defeat, standing silently with a grin. |
| “Get this man out of my conversation,” Foster responded. “You see how he does?” | “Get this man out of my conversation,” Foster responded. “You see how he does?” |
| Whatever Foster and Compton are doing, it’s working. | Whatever Foster and Compton are doing, it’s working. |
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