LenDale White Slimming Down

Tennessee Titans running back LenDale White, who lost his starting spot to rookie RB Chris Johnson, is getting himself ready to battle and take it back. His first step is coming into camp in better shape.

White's other motivation? It's his contract year, so if he is not going to be the starter in Tennessee, he wants to get paid big somewhere else.

Christopher Brantley, who represents White, acknowledges that certainly White wants to do well as he enters the final year of his rookie contract, but said White’s motivation stems more from wanting to prove his professionalism than anything else.

“Everybody in that final year gears up to put their best foot forward, but whether it’s a contract year or not, he’s been getting a lot of flack about his weight and his work ethic, and he just wants to set the record straight on all that,” Brantley said. “He wants to show that he’s a solid professional and a good back in the NFL, and when he’s been given the opportunity, he produces.”

White, who showed up to last years off-season workout program at a bulky 270lbs, signed in this season at a much slimmer 238lbs. Although still big for a running back is a drastic improvement from previous years.

“Before he went down to work out, he was home back in Denver working out with his uncle who helps him get ready and did so when he was in school [at Southern California],” Brantley said. “There are certain drills and programs that they do to get ready, and he kind of wanted to go home and get back to basics and be really ready to go when the program started.”