Von Miller set the tone, early and forcefully. But a pair of second-year players carried out the game plan Friday, relentlessly attacking the Seahawks’ offense and holding it to only 181 net yards in the Broncos’ .
Defensive end led the team with eight total tackles (six solo) to go along with one sack and two quarterback hurries. Outside linebacker Shaquil Barrett turned in three total tackles (one solo), one sack and four quarterback hurries.
They were just two members of a Denver defense that got seven sacks from as many players Friday night. But their performances were, in part, due to significant physical transformations during the offseason.
Barrett, who signed with the Broncos as an undrafted free agent out of Colorado State last year, took cues from Miller in changing his diet.
Miller told local media in April that he to slim down and get in the best shape of his life, a claim that would be hard to dispute based on his and in .
Barrett followed suit — to a certain extent — in shedding body fat and drinking more water.
“I just started eating differently and had my wife prep meals for me, trying to change my body shape,” he said. “I came here at probably like 18 percent body fat and I got it down to 11 right now. I’ve lost a couple of pounds, so I’m more explosive off the edge, quicker first step. It’s helped me out a lot.”
Anunike’s dietetic focus and training was perhaps even more strict. But he was headed in the opposite direction. The 6-foot-5 undrafted lineman out of Duke has packed on 15 pounds of “good weight” this offseason to help him fend off double teams and hold back offensive linemen in Wade Phillips’ 3-4 defense.
Adding weight on a big frame while doing two-a-days in training camp is no easy feat.
Anunike downed six meals a day — a lot of lean meats, a lot of rice — with shakes in between.
“I used to love eating,” Anunike said. “I stopped. I didn’t like it anymore. I was just inhaling it. But it was something I had to do.”
He is now hovering at 275 pounds, and the added bulk has provided a noticeable difference.
It showed Friday.
“I was able to maintain that weight — get heavier, get faster, get stronger,” he said. “I felt good out there.”
Nicki Jhabvala: njhabvala@denverpost.com or twitter.com/nickijhabvala
