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Akiem Hicks said he has shed 20 pounds since last season -- and it shows.

The slimmer frame is noticeable when you see the New Orleans Saints defensive end up close. More importantly, Hicks has been standing out on the field.

Hicks has worked his way inside for at least two would-be sacks (if live contact was allowed) during the first two days of training camp.

“Whatever will get me on the front of GQ Magazine,” cracked Hicks, who said he went from 345 pounds to 325. “I definitely slimmed down a little bit, just getting prepared for this season, and want to take advantage of every opportunity we get as a team.”

Neither Hicks nor the rest of the Saints' defense took advantage of those opportunities enough last season as they crumbled under the weight of some lofty expectations.

Hicks was one of the young players being touted as a breakout candidate -- by myself, included -- but he had a quiet year. He went from 56 tackles and 4.5 sacks in 2013 to 41 and 2 in 2014.

The Saints need him to tap into his massive potential more consistently this year.

“For me growing up, my biggest thing with my dad being in the military was discipline,” Hicks said when asked what went wrong last season. “When I look back at situations where I wasn’t successful, if I would’ve been more disciplined in certain areas I would have had more success. … As a team, we need to be more disciplined.”

Hicks said that goes for “everything from your assignments to your mentality when you recover to your mentality learning the assignments on the field and just being overall a better professional football player.”

Hicks didn’t directly answer when asked if he counts himself among the defensive players who admitted to “drinking the Kool-Aid” a little bit last year amid lofty expectations. But he stressed, “You just have to go in and apply yourself. You can’t read the [articles]. You can’t read your Twitter all the time. You just gotta come out and play the game you’ve been playing since you were a kid.”

Down 20 pounds, Saints' Akiem Hicks hopes to make bigger impact - New Orleans Saints Blog - ESPN


I love this guy! I may have to temper that urge to move him NT as I do every year. Down to 320 gesshhhh.

Imagine the damage he could cause with a solid NT next to him.

Add in a more complete OLB that can rush the pocket without losing containment? Forcing the QB to step up into the pocket with no escape lanes? My number on issue with Jr pass rush. His numbers will go through the roof.

Just need to learn the OLD Jumpy Geathers FORK LIFT move

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"We may have lost the game, but you'll be hurting tomorrow." Doug Atkins