The start of organized team activities are like the first day of school, when everybody takes stock of what's changed with their classmates over the summer. For the Ravens, one player who stands out is outside linebacker Odafe Oweh.
Coming off a breakout season with 10 sacks, Oweh said he added 20 pounds of muscle this offseason – up from 245 pounds to 265. It's the biggest Oweh has ever been, but he still feels just as explosive.
"\[It will help in stopping\] the run," Oweh said. "And then obviously, the top of my rush, not being able to be pushed off the point, digging out the rip. And then obviously \[with\] power as well."
Oweh has always had phenomenal athleticism. It's part of why he was a first-round draft pick despite not logging a sack in his final college season at Penn State.
Last year, he beefed up his pass rush arsenal with a better game plan and more refined moves. This offseason, he beefed up his body. Even though he doubled his sack total from the year before, Oweh didn't like the way he finished the season in the playoff loss in Buffalo.
"I didn't have the outing I wanted, so I thought a lot of that had to do with my weight and being able to be stout in certain positions," Oweh said. "So, as soon as the season was done, I went to Miami, started eating, lifting and then gaining weight, basically."
Oweh said he basically ate dry chicken, brussels sprouts, and asparagus.
"It actually wasn't good food. It was a lot of nasty meal prep," he said with a chuckle. "But it did the job."
Oweh is slated to play this season on his fifth-year option, making him one of the Ravens' most highly paid players. Head Coach John Harbaugh said his goal for Oweh is to be an All-Pro.
"Go be the best in the business," Harbaugh said. "And that's tough, because there's a lot of good players playing his position, but that's the way he sees himself, and let's go for it."
If Oweh has that kind of season, he could be in line for a very lucrative extension or contract elsewhere if he were to hit the market.
"Obviously, I'm just trying to be the best player for the team," Oweh said. "I would be crazy to say that's not something a little bit in the back of my mind, but every year, I try to get better, try to be better than I was last year. So to be honest, that's really what I'm focused on. I know if I do that, it's going to take care of itself."