Baltimore Ravens players had a variety of different goals this offseason. For some, it was simply to improve their technique from what they did last year. For others, there was a weight change in the plans. Now as the Ravens get into training camp, we’re seeing the results of all their hard work and some impressive new physiques.
Both wide receiver Willie Snead and guard D.J. Fluker are thinner than they were last year. Snead said he’s been working out since last season ended until now and is seven pounds lighter because of it.
“I started working out [in] February until we reported last week,” Snead said on a video press conference with reporters Wednesday. “I got the results I wanted. I feel faster. I feel lighter. I dropped like seven pounds. I’m really feeling good at this weight. I haven’t been this weight since my first year in the league and I’m just feeling pretty good going into the season.”
Snead is feeling good and based on his Twitter account, he’s ready for a breakout season.
A lot of Blood Sweat & Tears went into this offseason.. they gon feel me
— Willie Snead IV (@Willie_Snead4G) July 22, 2020
Fluker has been posting some of his workouts to Instagram. He quipped the “proof is in the salad not the pudding,” saying he’s down two shirt sizes.
On The Lounge podcast, Fluker said his goal was to get down to 330 pounds where he’s a “whole different breed of animal.” While he was listed at 342 pounds on Baltimore’s roster this offseason, it seems like he could be down to around that goal weight if his social media photos are any indication.
But it’s not all about trimming the pounds for every player this offseason. Unlike Snead, who talked about being faster with the loss of weight, Marquise Brown wanted to bulk up a bit before his second season in the NFL.
Brown said he actually lost weight last year, which was likely due to a foot injury that kept him out of the NFL Scouting Combine and a large part of training camp. But Brown entered training camp after having a screw removed from his foot and said he’s feeling “100 times better” than he did last year. Not only did Brown get to the 170-ish pounds he was at Oklahoma, but he added another 10 pounds of muscle on top of that. And for those that fear Brown’s increased weight and strength might have sapped his top speed, he said he’s just as fast as ever.
“While I was gaining weight, I made sure I was running. I kept track,” Brown said Wednesday. “I got the Ravens to send me a GPS tracker down to make sure I was still running at top speed, at good speed. Everything, with gaining weight, was keeping my speed and getting faster.”
Brown thinks the extra weight will help him with “absorbing hits off the catch” as well as blocking downfield. But more importantly, Brown believes the extra weight and strength will help with injuries.
Entering his second season in the NFL, Brown is primed for a true breakout year. He had a stellar rookie campaign, especially considering his foot injury, catching 46 passes for 584 yards and seven touchdowns. But if Brown is indeed as fast as he was last year and bigger, it stands to reason he could truly ball out in 2020 and set the league on fire.
Throughout the entire offseason, every player we’ve had a chance to talk to has given off the energy of being hungry, going the extra mile to reach a new level. After back-to-back disappointing postseasons, that desire certainly makes sense. Now it’s time to see if that hard work results in more wins and a Lombardi Trophy and not just the need for a new wardrobe.
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