Barner said the injuries affected his ability to prepare for games because of missed time in practice more than his performance on gameday, and is now looking forward to seeing what he can do with a healthier body.
"I'm going to feel much better, and I'm already feeling much better, and I think that's where I'll see strides," he said. "I'm feeling good, and I'm chomping at the bit trying to get back out there."
In his second season in the NFL, the former fourth-round pick out of Michigan emerged as one of the league's best young tight ends, recording 52 receptions for 519 yards and six touchdowns in the regular season, then he punctuated that impressive sophomore campaign with four catches for 54 yards in the Super Bowl, including the game's first touchdown, a 16-yard catch earlier in the fourth quarter that helped blow the game open.
But as well as he played in Year 2, Barner expects even more out of himself going forward.
"Definitely better, way better," he said. "I expect myself to be one of the best tight ends in the league, and I think I've played up to that standard, not consistently maybe throughout the whole season, but definitely have done that. I hold myself to a high standard, and the goal is to win championships and play in big games, and also bring that same mindset to training camp when I'm back out there with the guys. That's how I'm feeling. I think I can take it to another level, and I think it's going to make my job hopefully easier and my process leading up to gameday that much easier."
For Barner, talking about those lofty goals isn't so much about the recognition that would come with becoming one of the league's best tight ends, but rather the process it takes to become that level of player.
"I just have an obsession with football, and I've had it since I was young," Barner said. "I think I really want to be special at doing my job, that's really what it comes down to. It's really not that goal (earning All-Pro honors); it's more so, if I do my job every time and do it to the best of my ability and make a bunch of plays, they're going to have to do it. Up to this point in my career, I've really had to grind for everything that I've got... I'm just focused on the processes of each day to get to that point."