Last offseason Trent Edwards added 12 pounds of muscle to his upper body and he was convinced it helped him sustain the beating that comes with being an NFL quarterback. In preparing for 2009 Edwards has plans to do additional work on his body with the hope of getting input from a NFL Pro Bowl signal caller.
"I think every year, you're trying to change some things, trying to get better," said Edwards. "The guy that I'm hoping to get in touch with, that I spent a little bit of time this offseason with, that I felt like has really improved his physique, and as he gets older, he gets better is Drew Brees."
Brees threw for a career high 5,069 passing yards in 2008, just 15 yards shy of Dan Marino's NFL record 5,084-yard season in 1984, and the Saints' quarterback did it at age 30. As Edwards pointed out, Brees' passing yards have increased every year since 2003.
After finishing the 2008 season with a sore throwing shoulder, Edwards believes he needs to strengthen and involve his legs more in his throwing motion. He believes Brees can help provide some guidance in that area.
"I feel like he's one of those guys that uses his lower body really well when he throws the football and that's something that I'm trying to do now," Edwards said. "I need to be able to maintain my body for a 17-week schedule, and I also want to get my lower body to where it needs to be, so I'm hoping to be in touch with him, and trying to be that type of player."
Despite the positive results from his workout regimen last offseason, Edwards is striving for more. He hopes the extra work before the regular season will make him a more productive and consistent performer throughout it.
"I try to change some things here and there," he said. "I was in the pool trying to keep my cardio up. I tried to let my body cool down a little bit in terms of letting some dings here and there settle down. (But) I thought it was an efficient offseason. I'm excited to be back here, and I'm one of those guys that once I step back into this facility, once I step back in this town, I'm happy and I'm excited, and I'm anxious to get back and start working.
"I enjoy competing in that weight room, I enjoy competing here on the practice field, and anyone on this team that's willing to push me that far, I'm willing to go that far. That's the type of player that I am, the type of person that I am."
