After two seasons of playing at around and often under 300 pounds, Detroit Lions guard Rob Sims had added 20 pounds this offseason, returning to the weight he carried when the Seattle Seahawks drafted him in 2007.
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The Lions have ranked 32nd (2010) and 31st (2011) in Football Outsiders' "Adjusted Line Yards", and were 28th and 25th in "Stuffs", which are defined as runs where the running back is tackled at or behind the line of scrimmage.
Sims feels the added beef will improve his blocking, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press reports.
"I think I'll be right in that 312 to 315 range, and even I can be a little bit smaller if I want to be," Sims said. "I can be in the 307 to 310 range if I wanted to be. But blocking Albert Haynesworth and Justin Smith at 295, I can't do that anymore. I faked it for two years, and I got through it, but I can't do it no more."
Sims consulted with the coaching staff before adding the weight, which he did responsibly from working out and eating healthy meals prepared by his personal chef.
Sims is expected to remain at left guard and hopes to continue playing next to Jeff Backus, who is coming off a torn biceps and could be pushed for a starting job by first-round pick Riley Reiff.
"Right now, I believe it's Jeff Backus, and that's the way we go," Sims said on Thursday. "I love playing with Jeff. I wish I would have had Jeff when he was earlier in his career, and I was a little bit later in my career. We just fit together, and I like it and, hopefully, we keep that going for as long as possible."
