One of the pleasant Detroit Lions surprises in 2021 was the play of cornerback AJ Parker. An undrafted rookie from Kansas State, Parker quickly seized the starting slot CB role and acquitted himself nicely.
For his second season, Parker decided he needed to add some meat to his bones. It’s a smart decision for Parker, who was listed at 5-11 and 178 pounds and had some struggles with the physicality of the NFL. He also missed four games.
The 24-year-old looks noticeably stronger through the shoulders and upper body in training camp. That’s the result of some hard work by Parker with some assistance from the Lions strength and conditioning staff.
“The strength coaches did a real good job,” Parker told reporters. “I came up here early this offseason and got to work with the strength coaches. Got on a good meal plan and tried to put on as much healthy weight as I could.”
So how much weight did Parker add?
“Probably about 10 pounds,” Parker said. “Gotten a lot stronger.”
He added that the extra strength has also made him mentally stronger as he preps for his second season in Detroit.
