While the coronavirus crisis threw the world into flux, Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Willie Snead didnt have to choose between training with an established football coach and seeing his family. He could do both.
During high school, Snead played under Willie Snead III. So this offseason, with gyms closed and NFL minicamps canceled, the Ravens slot specialist worked out with his father day after day near his home in Florida.
And he noticed the benefits.
I had a great offseason, Snead said Wednesday in a video chat news conference. I got the results I wanted. I feel faster; I feel lighter. I dropped like seven pounds.
Snead, the most experienced member of a young receiving corps brimming with potential, felt an extra urgency this spring and summer. Though hes reeled in 242 passes over the past five seasons for the Saints and Ravens, Sneads never signed a lucrative contract more than two years in length. He joined Baltimore as a restricted free agent in 2018. Last season, he agreed to a one-year extension worth a relatively modest $6 million.
At 27, he enters the 2020 season once again in a contract year.
And he once again finds himself playing a prominent role on a high-powered offense for a title contender. Sneads been on playoff rosters the past three seasons but hasnt advanced past the divisional round.
So on a personal level and within the context of the team, circumstances pulled Snead to attack this 2020 year the best I could.
This is my contract year Im up again and I just want to get the best out of it, Snead said. Im just excited for the opportunity to come out here with these young guys and push this offense to the next level. Thats my expectation for myself. Im here now. I feel great. Im just ready to go, man.
The Ravens in April drafted two receivers, third-rounder Devin Duvernay and sixth-rounder James Proche, who thrived in college running routes out of the slot. Thats where Snead has done most of his work during his five NFL seasons, and Baltimore is well positioned to move on with younger players if one of the rookies impresses in 2020.
This year, though, Sneads place on the Ravens is safe. And to make the most of it, he decided to lose weight. Snead said he played between 200 and 202 pounds in recent years, and he figured if he got lighter, hed add quickness and be able to separate from defenders more regularly.
Thats where a little help from dad came in handy.
Some ways I [dropped weight] was just training in Florida, Snead said. Its hot, its humid. Were sweating every day. My dads got me on the pavement running.
Snead paired those workouts with a stricter diet. He said he focused on eating clean and avoiding carbs or added sugars in his meals.
Seven pounds rolled off in the Florida heat, and Snead hopes that helps his success pile up in Baltimore.
I feel really good at this weight, he said. I havent been this weight since my first year in the league, and Im just feeling pretty good going into the season.
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Aaron Kasinitz covers the Baltimore Ravens for PennLive and can be reached at akasinitz@pennlive.com or on Twitter @AaronKazreports. Follow PennLives Ravens coverage on Facebook and Youtube.
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Dad, diet and sunshine: How Baltimore Ravens Willie Snead got in shape for contract year - PennLive
