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Washington Redskins Training Camp Profile: ILB Jon Bostic

By Ian Cummings

PITTSBURGH, PA - OCTOBER 07: Jon Bostic #51 of the Pittsburgh Steelers kneels in the end zone before the start of the game against the Atlanta Falcons at Heinz Field on October 7, 2018 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images)
PITTSBURGH, PA - OCTOBER 07: Jon Bostic #51 of the Pittsburgh Steelers kneels in the end zone before the start of the game against the Atlanta Falcons at Heinz Field on October 7, 2018 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images) /
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BALTIMORE, MD – OCTOBER 9: A Washington Redskins helmet sits on the field prior to the game against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on October 9, 2016 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Todd Olszewski/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MD – OCTOBER 9: A Washington Redskins helmet sits on the field prior to the game against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on October 9, 2016 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Todd Olszewski/Getty Images) /

What Bostic must show at Redskins training camp

If you asked me right now, I’d say that if Bostic takes substantial starting snaps this season, then the Redskins aren’t in a good spot. But Bostic has some time to change the perception, and he can do that by compounding his best traits in training camp.

So what are Bostic’s best traits? At first glance, his athletic testing numbers stand out. When prepping for the NFL Draft in 2013, he logged a 4.59 40-yard dash time, a sub-seven second three-cone drill time, and a vertical jump of 32.5 inches. These numbers encapsulate, at worst, above-average athleticism, especially for a linebacker with a stocky 6-foot-1, 245-pound build.

Bostic’s athleticism, unfortunately, seems to have been sapped away from him a bit. A foot injury sidelined him for the entire 2016 season, while he was with the Lions, and he doesn’t have the sideline-to-sideline range that his numbers suggest. He’s a thumper who’s decent in run defense, with good tackling form, although his angles are inconsistent.

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Boston’s best trait, with his athleticism falling below expectations, ends up being his experience. Among the three inside linebackers who join him behind Mason Foster, only one has started an NFL game, and that’s Shaun Dion Hamilton, who started four games in 2018. Bostic, meanwhile, has started 46 games over the course of his career, and played in 70. In theory, his experience should give him an edge, as well as some mental keys on the field that the younger players might lack.

Bostic doesn’t have great instincts, movement skills, or consistency, but with his experience, he can set himself apart in the Redskins linebacker room. For the Redskins sake, it might be better to see out the development of their younger linebackers before they defer to Bostic’s experience, because Bostic doesn’t offer much utility as a full-time starter. But with that asset, he can convince Washington to give him a steady role in 2019.

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