Reports have come in from the New York camp today. Tight End Leon McDavid was seen on the practice field wearing a different colored jersey than usual. The player was found wearing a steel blue as opposed to the usual white. From the looks of it, it also appears that McDavid had gained quite a bit of weight over the offseason. He looks bulkier and stronger than last season. He was mainly found doing drills with team captain Bubba Thumper and was lining up opposite of his usual spot.
We spoke with McDavid in the locker room and asked him to answer a few questions.
“Leon, are the rumors true that you may be changing positions this offseason?”
“It’s hard to keep things a secret around here huh. But yes, I will be making a change for this coming season.”
“What prompted such a move? You are one of the top tight ends in the league. Why the sudden switch?”
“Coming off such a season that I had in San Jose, there is always the chance for regression. I had been dominant on the offensive line for so long and was consistent in my work. Something changed when I got here to New York. I don’t know if it was because the d-lines were getting stronger or faster or what. I just was not producing like I was before. In my fifth season as a starter I finally gave up my first sack after successfully pancaking 163 linemen. It really took a toll on my psyche. That missed block just was eating away at me. I was working with Thumps and trying to block him day in and day out and nothing was changing my performance. I knew that something had to change else I would go insane.”
“With such a sudden change, do you believe you will be ready for the season and be producing like other natural defensive linemen?”
“Working on the line is an art form. I know there will be struggles but I believe that with my size and strength that I can do anything. I’ve been working with Thumps to get my reps in. He is one of the best defensive tackles in the league so learning from him should put me in a good spot.”
“Why did you decide to bulk up into a defensive lineman instead of slim down into more of a receiver role?”
“The thing that makes a tight end different from a wide receiver is the ability to block. They are bigger and stronger than your typical receiver. The team already has such a dominant young wideout core, they don’t need another one right now. The logical choice for my stature was to swap positions on the line.”
We spoke to GM Peter Brand after practice about the changes coming to the team. He had this to say,
"We noticed as the season progressed that Leon looked to be adding bulk. We assumed that was mostly due to frustrations with his blocking, but even once he started turning that around, he didn't stop padding his muscle mass. Leon got huge, so huge that his teammates were sometimes afraid to approach him, until one day Bubba stepped to the plate and started spotting him. Leon and Bubba grew closer as the season progressed, and Bubba started working with him beyond the weight room...and all of a sudden, we knew what Leon was doing. He's been so frustrated just protecting his quarterback, never getting a chance to actually catch the ball before, and he finally snapped. So, he'll be next to Bubba at the start of next season."
McDavid did see a step back in production on the offensive line as compared to last season. His receiving did take quite a spike. With the move to defensive tackle, this addresses a need for the team replacing Riles McTackle on the line. This also leaves a gaping hole in the offensive side with the tight end spot now vacant.
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