Bryant McKinnie Managing Weight

When the Baltimore Ravens signed free agent left tackle Bryant McKinnie late in the summer of 2012, they wondered if the Minnesota Vikings knew what they were doing by releasing a ten-year veteran and former Pro Bowler. McKinnie went on to start every game at left tackle and while he didn't quite return to Pro Bowl form, he certainly did enough to protect QB Joe Flacco's blind side and open holes for RB Ray Rice.

Once the off-season began, the team also began to worry that Bryant would return to his unhealthy ways and balloon up to the barely sub-400 pounds that led to his release. However, as reported by Aaron Wilson of the Carroll County Times, McKinnie has not regressed to his buffet-attacking ways and has maintained his playing weight deep into the off-season.

According to the story, head coach John Harbaugh said:

"He had done a good job," Harbaugh said. "He's been working in the offseason. He's training. He's in the same shape he was in when he left. We want to improve that from now until the start of next season. I'm talking about weight-wise to finish his career the way he wants to finish it and go on with his quality of life, and he's capable of doing it."

If Bryant is able to keep the weight off and enter Training Camp at his playing weight, this will go a huge way to getting him in tip-top shape and ready to return to Pro Bowl form.


(baltimorebeatdown.com)