technical details
  1. is_video => true
  2. alias => "washington\/\/redskins\/camp-battles-zach-brown-and-mason-foster-are-locks-questions-after"
  3. nid => "1303956"
  4. title => "Camp Battles: Zach Brown and Mason Foster are locks, but questions after that"
  5. is_chrome_page => false
  6. article_body => "<p>RICHMOND -- Zach Brown nearly finished the 2017 season as the top tackler in the NFL, even after missing a few games. Brown is a tackling machine, and an absolute lock to make the Redskins 53-man roster.<\/p>\n<p>Mason Foster got hurt early in the 2017 season, but was an obvious leader and a strong contributor. His interception sealed the Week 2 win in Los Angeles, and his roster spot is way more than sealed.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>After those two, things get interesting.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Josh Harvey-Clemons made the team in 2017 as a bit of a surprise, but it won't be a surprise this year. The long, rangy JHC actually played safety in college at Louisville, and seems much more comfortable in his linebacker role this time around. He doesn't have the elite speed of Brown, but Harvey-Clemons can really run, and the organization likes that along with his penchant to find the football. He's going to make this team.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Before we keep going, remember that the Redskins kept five inside linebackers breaking camp last year. If the team decides&nbsp;to go with five&nbsp;this year, three players are competing for two spots: Zach Vigil, Shaun Dion Hamilton and Martrell Spaight.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Washington just used a sixth round draft pick to select Hamilton out of Alabama. A sixth-rounder isn't a fortune, but the 'Skins did trade up to grab him, in a similar move to their selection of Chase Roullier in 2016. Doug Williams has talked glowingly about Hamilton, as well as Alabama coach Nick Saban. If he can stay healthy, it would make sense for Washington to keep him on the roster.<\/p>\n<p>So the real battle becomes Vigil against Spaight. Late last year after a number of injuries, Vigil got playing time over Spaight when both players were healthy. Vigil is the better linebacker, though Spaight is the better athlete and offers more on special teams. Neither player is under contract for the 2019 season either, so the front office does not have the threat of dead money on the cap making this decision.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The team chose to play Vigil last year, and that decision is telling. Also, early in training camp when Foster missed time with a minor injury, Vigil came on as his replacement.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Those signals mean Spaight has a lot to prove over the next few weeks in Richmond.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>MORE REDSKINS NEWS:<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>One week in:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/redskins\/redskins-training-camp-practice-report-day-7\">Training camp practice report, Day 7<\/a><\/li>\n<li><strong>Alike, but different:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/redskins\/alex-smith-has-heard-all-kirk-cousins-comparisons-and-he-doesnt-care\">Alex Smith talks comparisons to Kirk Cousins<\/a><\/li>\n<li><strong>\"Hall\" it a day:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/redskins\/redskins-db-deangelo-hall-officially-retiring\">DeAngelo makes his retirement official<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n"
  7. author => "JP Finlay"
  8. mps => {"author":"JP Finlay","league":"","sport":"","sponsor":""}
  9. published => "1533241020"
  10. created => "1533242321"
  11. changed => "1533248272"
  12. status => "1"
  13. hero_image_credit => "USA TODAY Sports"
  14. tags => [{"tid":"9721","name":"Redskins Training Camp","url":"tags\/redskins-training-camp"},{"tid":"1616","name":"Redskins Top Stories","url":"tags\/redskins-top-stories"},{"tid":"1511","name":"Washington Redskins","url":"tags\/washington-redskins"}]
  15. section => "Redskins"
  16. team => "Washington Redskins"
  17. image => {"uri":"public:\/\/archive\/assets_article\/washington\/2018\/08\/02\/battle_ilb.jpg","alt":"battle_ilb.jpg","title":"Camp Battles: Here's how things are shaping up at inside linebacker"}
  18. video_url => "https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/video\/camp-battles-heres-how-things-are-shaping-inside-linebacker"
  19. is_mediaid => true
  20. mediaid => "WNUsvMZLwBrQ"
  21. video_autoplay => true
  22. video_automute => true
  23. mpx_account_id => "BxmELC"
  24. player_id => "washington_article"
  25. chrome_data => "{\"league\":\"\",\"sport\":\"\",\"sponsor\":\"\"}"
  26. sponsor => ""
  27. region => "washington"
  28. fb_url => "https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/dialog\/share?app_id=1175440639277882&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nbcsports.com%2Fwashington%2Fredskins%2Fcamp-battles-zach-brown-and-mason-foster-are-locks-questions-after&display=popup"
  29. tw_url => "https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=Camp%20Battles%3A%20Zach%20Brown%20and%20Mason%20Foster%20are%20locks%2C%20but%20questions%20after%20that&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nbcsports.com%2Fwashington%2Fredskins%2Fcamp-battles-zach-brown-and-mason-foster-are-locks-questions-after&original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nbcsports.com%2Fwashington%2Fredskins%2Fcamp-battles-zach-brown-and-mason-foster-are-locks-questions-after"
  30. mailto => "mailto:?subject=Camp%20Battles%3A%20Zach%20Brown%20and%20Mason%20Foster%20are%20locks%2C%20but%20questions%20after%20that&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nbcsports.com%2Fwashington%2Fredskins%2Fcamp-battles-zach-brown-and-mason-foster-are-locks-questions-after"
  31. tags_hide => []
  32. type => "article"
  33. meta => {"file":"\/mnt\/gfs\/rsnunited\/sites\/default\/files\/archive\/article\/washington\/redskins\/camp-battles-zach-brown-and-mason-foster-are-locks-questions-after.json","assets":["public:\/\/archive\/assets_article\/washington\/2018\/08\/02\/battle_ilb.jpg"]}
  34. orig_image => {"uri":"public:\/\/2018\/08\/02\/battle_ilb.jpg","alt":"battle_ilb.jpg","title":"Camp Battles: Here's how things are shaping up at inside linebacker"}
  35. article_type => "article"
Redskins

Redskins

RICHMOND -- Zach Brown nearly finished the 2017 season as the top tackler in the NFL, even after missing a few games. Brown is a tackling machine, and an absolute lock to make the Redskins 53-man roster.

Mason Foster got hurt early in the 2017 season, but was an obvious leader and a strong contributor. His interception sealed the Week 2 win in Los Angeles, and his roster spot is way more than sealed. 

After those two, things get interesting. 

Josh Harvey-Clemons made the team in 2017 as a bit of a surprise, but it won't be a surprise this year. The long, rangy JHC actually played safety in college at Louisville, and seems much more comfortable in his linebacker role this time around. He doesn't have the elite speed of Brown, but Harvey-Clemons can really run, and the organization likes that along with his penchant to find the football. He's going to make this team. 

Before we keep going, remember that the Redskins kept five inside linebackers breaking camp last year. If the team decides to go with five this year, three players are competing for two spots: Zach Vigil, Shaun Dion Hamilton and Martrell Spaight. 

Washington just used a sixth round draft pick to select Hamilton out of Alabama. A sixth-rounder isn't a fortune, but the 'Skins did trade up to grab him, in a similar move to their selection of Chase Roullier in 2016. Doug Williams has talked glowingly about Hamilton, as well as Alabama coach Nick Saban. If he can stay healthy, it would make sense for Washington to keep him on the roster.

 

So the real battle becomes Vigil against Spaight. Late last year after a number of injuries, Vigil got playing time over Spaight when both players were healthy. Vigil is the better linebacker, though Spaight is the better athlete and offers more on special teams. Neither player is under contract for the 2019 season either, so the front office does not have the threat of dead money on the cap making this decision. 

The team chose to play Vigil last year, and that decision is telling. Also, early in training camp when Foster missed time with a minor injury, Vigil came on as his replacement. 

Those signals mean Spaight has a lot to prove over the next few weeks in Richmond. 

MORE REDSKINS NEWS: