Fletcher Cox hopes less of him means more production.
Cox said Tuesday he plans to play this year about 10 pounds lighter than last year, when he was 320 pounds.
“I’m a little lighter," he said. "I slimmed up a whole lot. I did a few different things this offseason and kind of switched my body up a little bit. I got uncomfortable a little bit (with his diet), and it helped me.
"Last year I played at 320 and this year I want to play at 310, and this morning I tipped the scales at 312.
"I can move around a little bit more being a little bit lighter, but the big thing for me is can I stay as strong at 310 as I was at 320? That’s the main thing. I want to stay fast and obviously stay strong. I can be lighter and I can be where I was (strength-wise)."
Cox, the 12th player taken in the 2012 draft, signed a massive six-year, $102.6 million contract after his breakthrough 2015 season.
Cox had a good year last year but his level of play dropped from 2015, which may have motivated the weight loss.
NFL
He finished with 6 1/2 sacks, just three fewer than 2015. But during the eight-game stretch from the first Redskins game through the Bengals game he had no sacks and just 12 solo tackles. The Eagles went 2-6 during that stretch, falling out of the playoff hunt.
Cox still made the Pro Bowl, which made him the Eagles' first defensive player to make consecutive Pro Bowls since Asante Samuel in 2008 and 2009.
But for all his individual accolades, Cox has still played in just one playoff game in his five NFL seasons, a loss to the Saints after the 2013 season.
“I went to the Pro Bowl, so I don’t think that was a down year," he said. "I had a solid year. It could have been better and as a team we could have been better. That’s what we use this offseason for, to go out and get better.
"I like everything this organization is doing and I think this organization is moving forward. I love everybody (they acquired), especially Derek Barnett. I just go out and watch the kid. I have been here the whole offseason, and this kid has a lot of energy and he’s going to be a big help for us."