Jeff Dickerson, ESPN Staff Writer 8y

Bears pleased with Leonard Floyd's weight gain

BOURBONNAIS, Ill. -- The Chicago Bears have backed off their previously stated goal of rookie Leonard Floyd weighing 240 pounds, but general manager Ryan Pace said Wednesday that he’s still pleased with the top pick’s physical development since the team drafted him ninth overall.

“He's a pro, so... and it's not a bad thing when somebody tells you pretty much, eat whatever you want,” Pace said. "He's done a great job with it. We feel really good where he's at right now.”

Pace declined to say what Floyd weighed when he reported to Bourbonnais, but he noted that “everything I’ve learned is we’re in good shape.”

An athletic outside linebacker out of Georgia, Floyd’s weight has been scrutinized since the Bears moved two spots in the first round to take him.

Shortly after the draft, Chicago’s support staff designed a special strength and nutritional program for Floyd, who was required, among other things, to set an alarm on his phone to remind him to eat every couple of hours.

“[Two hundred and forty pounds is] a realistic weight, we thought, for him,” Pace said. “But the key thing the whole time as we're evaluating it is his best traits are explosiveness and speed and athleticism -- we never want that to diminish. So as long as he's playing strong and getting off blocks, he can still do that and maintain his speed and quickness. As time goes on, we'll be able to zero that in even more.”

Floyd recently admitted he’s struggled in the past to keep weight on, but Pace feels that’s a non-issue.

“These guys eat really well here [at camp],” Pace said. “And the camps aren't as grueling as ... I remember going to camp in Southeast Louisiana and it's a little different. So I think we'll be OK.”

Head coach John Fox added: “He'll gain weight. They all do.”

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