Strong reshapes body
Wideout hoping for greater role after an intensive workout regimen
Jaelen Strong tapped his cleats across the artificial turf rapidly, moving with ease and confidence during a ladder drill before breaking into a short pass pattern to haul in a spiral.
The Texans wide receiver was leaner and quicker than he was in the past, sharply changing directions during a Saturday morning workout conducted by his trainer, Rischad Whitfield, “The Footwork King.”
Changing his diet and work habits dramatically since reporting overweight as a rookie three years ago, Strong, 23, says he’s down to 198 pounds heading into training camp at The Greenbrier resort in West Virginia.
“I feel good,” Strong said. “I feel ready. I’ve learned how to take care of my body.”
Strong squeezed in a few extra workouts prior to the Texans’ mandatory conditioning test, which consists of a series of timed runs for each position group.
Improved conditioning
Strong isn’t worried about passing the test, but he wants to be ready and has no intention of facing the stigma of being unprepared for the start of the season.
“For sure, you don’t want to be that guy,” Strong said. “That guy doesn’t practice. He misses out on reps.”
Strong has been through those tough times after being drafted in the third round out of Arizona State.
As a rookie, he showed up for a minicamp at 230 pounds. Strong promptly lost the weight, but it didn’t make for a good first impression on his new team.
Since then, Strong has improved his conditioning each year. This offseason, he’s taken it to a different level. And Strong credits Whitfield for helping him achieve his goals.
“A lot, actually,” Strong said. “I’ve been working with him since my rookie year. He’s been a big service to me. He’s helped me a lot getting in and out of my breaks, explosiveness.”
Improvement has consumed Strong after being supplanted on the depth chart last season by draft picks Will Fuller and Braxton Miller.
Strong caught 14 passes for 131 yards and no touchdowns before being placed on injured reserve with an ankle injury. Strong caught the exact amount of passes as a rookie the previous year and had 161 receiving yards and three touchdowns.
Dedicated approach
This shapes up as a critical year for Strong as he battles for more playing time.
Receivers coach John Perry has been impressed with Strong’s dedicated approach. He envisions Strong, 6-2, operating as a red-zone threat and in using his size and leaping ability in jump-ball situations.
“He has really approached this offseason, come in for a lot of extra help, watched a lot of extra film,” Perry said. “He’s taken ownership of what his future is. I think he knows whatever his future holds is going to be a product of what he’s done.
“I’ve been really impressed by what he’s done. He’s a bigger guy. That’s what he has to do. The guy where you put the ball up as a bigger receiver and have him go up there and get it. I see him doing that for us.”
Strong has been learning a lot from new assistant Wes Welker, a former Pro Bowl receiver with the New England Patriots and Denver Broncos.
“Wes is a really good guy,” Strong said. “He can relate to us. He’s older than us, but he’s young. His being in the room with us gives us a lot. We can lean on him.”