FOXBORO, Mass. — Water is wet, the sky is blue and the New England Patriots work harder than the Cleveland Browns.
That last piece of obvious information was confirmed Thursday when Patriots defensive tackle Danny Shelton addressed reporters at Gillette Stadium.
The first question posed to Shelton was how the first few weeks of the offseason workout program has been going for the recent addition. Shelton was acquired in a trade with the Browns in March.
“Going great,” Shelton said. “Feel like my body’s adjusted now to all the running. It’s been crazy, but I like it.”
Shelton said the amount of running the Patriots are doing is “definitely” a radical departure from what he was used to with the Browns.
“I think any other team would say the same thing,” Shelton said. “But then again, I’ve only been on one team. I’ve only been in one offseason program. Now that I’m here, it’s pretty cool to change it up a bit and just watch my body change. …
“It was a struggle. I think it would be a struggle for anybody coming in and not knowing how much running the program asks of everyone. It’s been great so far, though.”
Shelton is listed at 6-foot-2, 335 pounds, but he’s still hovering above that weight in mid-May. He’s played at 335 pounds in the past and intends to do the same with the Patriots. His focus this season is maintaining that weight throughout the season.
“That’s the number that I’ve always been at,” Shelton said. “Obviously I’d get up at the end of the year, but over here it’s going to be more of the standard that I’m going to keep myself at and expecting to stay at 335 and dominating at 335.”
Shelton knows the work he’s putting in now with the rest of teammates will benefit him during the regular season.
“That’s what I like about the change is that I know that my body will be more trained for the endurance and trained for the fourth quarter, overtime,” Shelton said. “I’m excited for the rest of the year.”
The Patriots have a hill that connects their upper practice field they use early in the season to the lower one utilized when the temperatures turn cold. The team runs it during training camp and regular-season practices but haven’t had to tackle it yet this spring. Shelton has heard the horror stories, though.
“I wave by it,” Shelton said. “Just getting my mind ready for it. We haven’t gotten to that part. But it is deceiving. It doesn’t look too tough, but just hearing from the guys it’s not something you want to mess with.”
That hill is how Shelton likely will be able to maintain his 335-pound frame during the regular season and how he’ll be better prepared late in games.
