BY SEAN DONOVAN
Miami Dolphins second-year defender Dion Jordan was a little on the small side as a defensive end prospect coming out of college. He spent his first full NFL offseason addressing that problem.
Jordan, who weighed in at 248 pounds at the 2013 NFL Draft Combine, says he is now "a little over 265" these days, via Armando Salguero of The Miami Herald.
The nearly 20-pound weight gain will come in handy if the former Oregon standout sees a bigger workload on the defensive line this season, as he was often taken off the field in running situations as a rookie.
"I was definitely too light to go out there against some of those offensive tackles," Jordan said. "This year I had the opportunity to have an offseason where I can take care of my body. I'm trying to move forward and continue to try to better myself in a few areas."
Due to his alma mater's quarter class system and a nagging shoulder issue, Jordan had a shortened first offseason with the team and was limited during much of training camp.
Jordan has clearly benefited from a full offseason with Miami's strength and conditioning staff; Salguero commented that he looked 'as if he took an air pump and plugged it into his arms and shoulders this offseason.'
Now bigger and healthier, expect Jordan to at least come closer this year to making the impact expected of the third overall pick from the defensive end spot.
