It hasn’t been an easy transition, but New England Patriots linebacker Mack Wilson put in the work and believes he is exactly where he needs to be.
Wilson came from the Cleveland Browns, a place that could rightfully be viewed as “Bizzaro World” for those that are used to the way things are done in New England. The 24-year-old knew it would take a committed effort to adjust and he reflected on that work in an interview with NFL Network’s Mike Giardi and DeAngelo Hall.
“Honestly it’s been a challenge,” Wilson said. “Just coming here, from day one, OTAs, I kind of went through that process where they broke my body down and built me back up to how they want me to be. It was tough, but I managed to get through it by pushing myself everyday and obviously, I feel like a better player. I feel more explosive. I feel faster, stronger, things like that.”
The description Wilson gives of New England is one that has been highlighted a number of times. They make you work hard and try to break you down physically to build you back into a stronger, more complete player. There have been a number of occasions where players didn’t like that. That’s not the case for Wilson, though.
“If you don’t love football, if you don’t eat, sleep, breath football here, you won’t make it long,” Wilson said. “The way they do things here is totally different from other organizations, and honestly, I can see why this organization has been so successful over the years.”
Wilson joins Raekwon McMillan and Ja’Whaun Bentley in a new look linebacker corps that has been built with the goal of getting more athletic. Those three players are expected to carry the bulk of the load in the middle while youngsters like Cameron McGrone and Josh Uche find their footing.
Even if Wilson doesn’t become a steal for the Patriots, worst case scenario is New England found themselves an emergency long snapper.
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