Fit And Slimmer Eddie Lacy Ready To Pound Away For Packers

GENARO C. ARMAS, AP Sports Writer

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — A fit and slimmer Eddie Lacy is pounding away at the defense in Green Bay Packers training camp.

The results of a new offseason training regimen are evident after the running back was called out by coach Mike McCarthy following last season for playing at too heavy a weight.

"Do I look like I lost a few pounds over the summer?" Lacy responded to a question from a reporter. "You can go with that."

The Packers' current roster sheet lists Lacy at 5-foot-11, 234 pounds, the same weight at which he was listed last season. Coach Mike McCarthy wasn't going to divulge a number, either, though he seemed happy with how Lacy responded pronounced him ready to go.

"Eddie looks like Eddie, man," quarterback Aaron Rodgers said. "He's a big back and we're just glad he's on our team."

The Packers would love to get Lacy back to 2013-14 levels of production.

After eclipsing 1,100 yards each of his first two years in the league, Lacy ran for 758 yards on 187 carries in 15 games last season, starting 12. Lacy missed a curfew before a game against the Detroit Lions, relegating him briefly to McCarthy's doghouse. As Lacy struggled, backup James Starks assumed more carries and turned into a reliable option in the passing game.

At his best, Lacy bowls over defenders and spins out of tackles with reckless abandon. His physical running style suits the cold-weather Packers, who ideally would hand the ball to Lacy late in games to run down the clock.

This offseason, Lacy said he focused on not making "too many bad decisions." He worked out with P90X fitness guru Tony Horton, mixed in basketball and boxing, and altered his diet. He stuck with the plan.

Lacy said that he didn't really cut out any specific foods in his diet.

"Nah, not really, just eat less of it," he said.

He's not angry that McCarthy called him out. Lacy, in fact, said "it needed to be said. It was said and you can either take it the right way or the wrong way. I think I did a pretty good job of taking it positively and taking care of what I had to."

A bounce-back season for Lacy, coupled with the likely return of injured receiver Jordy Nelson from a torn right ACL, could lift the Packers right back into elite territory as an offense, especially with two-time MVP Rodgers under center.

"But we have to stay healthy," Lacy said. "If us three all get out there and we all get on the same page, it will be tough for defenses to stop all of us."

NOTES: Rookie WR Trevor Davis has been an early star at camp with impressive catches on deep balls and quick passes over the middle. "So you just want to see him build off of that because he has shown that he can make big plays, but you want him to do the details that require the offensive player to be a first-, second-, and third-down player. He's off to a good start," McCarthy said. The 6-foot-1 Davis was drafted in the fifth round out of California. ... The team holds its first padded practice on Thursday.

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