Mack Herron

Mayo said this in explaining why he bulked up:

"Any time you're playing in a 3-4 defense, you're pretty much like a defensive lineman when you are an inside linebacker. So those extra pounds will help me," he said. "Later on in the year last year, my body starting wearing down and things like that. I think these extra pounds will really help me later in the season -- and hopefully we'll go a long time this year."

This comment surprised me because since Ted Johnson left we have been getting lighter and faster at ILB. Isn't Mayo already the biggest ILB we have?

signbabybrady

Definition of irony - Man with a screen name Mack Heron starts a thread about size

I am not so sure they have been intentionally been getting lighter. Ted Johnson was a big boy and its tough to find guys that big who can move well. Thomas was initially playing ILB he is a big boy but personell kind of dictates he is more valueble on the outside.

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RayClay

Bruschi is pretty damned thick. Basing it only on pictures (which can be deceiving) I opined that Mayo looked relatively skinny last year.

Haven't seen him standing next Bru this year, so I couldn't tell, but he indicates he needed to and did gain some weight.

I think he's a bit taller, but we're talking the L.A. quotient used in evaluating nose tackles.

Mack? A link to the full story is always appreciated (and required if it's a copyrighted article quote). Thanks.


*Lard ass

RayClay

Here 'tis.

More muscle for linebacker Jerod Mayo - Reiss' Pieces - Boston.com

He gained four pounds to 251? I'll take his word for it. Looks skinny to me. Long as he plays heavy I'm fine.

seriously, you will not find me complaining about adding great athleticism at LB.

Box_O_Rocks

T.J. was listed at 6'4" 250 on the roster and Tedy goes from 245 to 247 over the course of the available rosters. Mayo and Guyton are still listed as 242 on the Pats roster, which was Mayo's Combine weigh-in (Guyton was 245 at the Combine). If Jerod is up to 250, he most likely was playing around 245 last season after Coach Woicik and the Nutrition staff got hold of him in the Spring. A poster over at Planet noted Jerod almost waddles the way his legs and butt are built up, as long as he kept or improved his speed and quickness, it's good! I'm stoked because I believe Guyton would have also added a few more pounds himself, so NE could be looking at two fast/quick 250 pound monsters in the middle.

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Urgent

I would debate Mayo's statement.

"Any time you're playing in a 3-4 defense, you're pretty much like a defensive lineman when you are an inside linebacker."

Well, sometimes you are.
However, sometimes you are like a safety, covering tight ends or running backs on pass routes. Or even slot receivers.

That's why the Pats have succeeded with Ted Johnson at ILB and Roman Phifer at ILB and Don Davis at ILB. And that's why S Tank Williams has been playing a lot of ILB with the Pats.

Ted Johnson was terrific as a run stuffer, but he was one of the least versatile ILB's the Pats have had. And that's why he was sometimes deactivated against passing teams, and started against running teams.

On the other hand, Bruschi has succeeded as well as he has due to his versatility. He couldn't split a guard's helmet like Johnson could, or cover like Harrison, but he could do most things very well. Hopefully Mayo will develop that versatility as well.

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MVPatsfan13

You guys need to remember that Mayo did put it into context when after that he started talking about how he can still run the same(interesting to know the Pats have their own team "combine").
Those 4 pounds are extremely well conditioned pounds, not just some belly fat. If I was a LBer, I'd want to work on my shoulder & upper back thickness to help ward off shoulder injuries; besides for the obvious(agility, lower-body power, core strength, flexibility, stamina).
I used to play soccer & lax at a decent level and when you gain 5 pounds of conditioned muscle it def helps you out when getting bumped around, you have that extra tissue density/mass to absorb the energy.

Gotta love this kid though, it seems like if BB could make a prototype ILB for the current NFL, "Weird Science" style, Mayo would be pretty darn close to it