The Green Bay Packers want running back Eddie Lacy to lose a substantial amount of weight this offseason.
According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, the Packers hope Lacy will shed at least 30 pounds ahead of the 2016 season. The former second-round pick is currently listed at 234 pounds, but he likely played at a far heavier weight this past season.
Setting the bar at 30 pounds would likely put Lacy at somewhere in the 260-pound range.
All the extra weight finally hurt Lacy in 2015, when he rushed for a career-low 758 yards and three touchdowns. During his first two seasons, Lacy averaged over 1,110 rushing yards and 10 scores.
“Eddie’s got a lot of work to do,” head coach Mike McCarthy said shortly after Green Bay’s season ended. “I’m stating the obvious. His offseason last year was not what it should be and he never recovered from it. He cannot play at the weight he did this year.”
TMZ reported last week that Lacy has been “in touch” with P90x creator Tony Horton about putting together a workout plan for the offseason.
“The Packers will get him ready for the season,” Horton said. “My job will be to get the weight off and help him eat better.”
Rapoport reported that the Packers consider Lacy an important part of returning to “dominance” next season. Green Bay finished 2015 with a 10-6 record and no NFC North title for the first time since 2010. The Packers eventually advanced to the NFC Divisional Round, but lost to the Arizona Cardinals in overtime.
Lacy, who turns 26 in June, is entering the final year of his rookie contract. Staying in Green Bay past the 2016 season will likely depend on him both shedding weight in the offseason and chewing up yards for the Packers offense.
