LenDale White: I Won't Be Fat Again

LenDale White doesn't look like the LenDale White we're used to seeing. White told The Tennessean that he's weighing in at only 229 pounds this offseason, way short of the 260 he's weighed at times throughout his pro career.

A 230-pound White should still be big enough to move the pile, but he may actually be able to make a couple of guys miss for a change, too. But there is the question of White's motivation, which is brought up in Jim Wyatt's story.

For one reason or another, however, White decided to get serious this offseason. Whether it's because he's headed into the final year of his contract, or because he's sincerely motivated by his critical fumble in January's playoff loss to the Ravens, it doesn't matter to anyone with the team as long as White stays committed.

There's one reason: White is slimming down to get paid. When he was a rookie, he didn't do this, but you could write that off as a rookie not understanding what was needed to excel in the NFL. A year later, the signing of Chris Brown and drafting of Chris Henry didn't spur White to slim down. And last offseason the drafting of Chris Johnson couldn't inspire White to push away from the table.

But now, he's playing for a new contract, and he knows that he will be looking at a much smaller deal if he's just a goal-line back rather than a guy who can be an every-down back. Hello Slim-Fast.

But White's promises seem about as realistic as Kirstie Alley's. White has always struggled with his weight. The fact that he can slim down for the final year of his contract (after playing at a fatter weight than ideal in the past three years) doesn't exactly say "spend a ton of money on me."