Poe the Raven
Well-known member
- Mar 16, 2019
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USA TODAY Sports
It’s one of the rites of summer in the NFL, players coming to training camp in the #bestshapeoftheirlives.
In the case of Ravens guard D.J. Fluker, he’s literally a different shape.
According to Clifton Brown of the Ravens’ official website, the veteran offensive lineman said he dropped his body fat from 44 percent to 22 percent this offseason. He’s still massive, weighing 348 pounds (down from 358 last year with the Seahawks), but it’s a much more evenly distributed 348.
“Got to have sweet feet to play offensive line,” Fluker said. “Being lighter, being leaner, being more explosive, that does help.”
Fluker’s competing for the starting right guard job, vacated by the retirement of Marshal Yanda. And while those are big shoes to fill, being significantly less big could help Fluker win the job.
“He’s looked excellent,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. “Moving very well. This is a big guy, and it’s all muscle. I’m really impressed with him. He’s done a great job. His attitude has been excellent. His work ethic, we had heard it was good. I would say it’s been better than good. It’s been A, A+. Everything’s thumbs up with D.J.”
Fluker has the most experience of the guys competing for Yanda’s old job, with 88 starts in his seven years in the league.
“Yanda’s a Hall of Famer,” Fluker said. “You can’t replace that guy. That’s a guy that has his own mentality and how he does things. Those are big shoes to fill, but I’m going to be myself, come in and do what I do best. Hungry, ready to go, and win a championship and a Super Bowl.”
That hunger has clearly manifested itself in a different way this offseason.