Steelers outside linebacker LaMarr Woodley was something of a disappointment last season, recording just four sacks while dealing with groin, ankle and hamstring injuries. Now Woodley’s coaches are hoping a renewed emphasis on staying in shape in the offseason will prevent him from struggling through more nagging injuries this season.
Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that the Steelers think Woodley needs to approach his offseason workouts with more diligence to avoid the kinds of injuries that have plagued him the past two seasons.
Woodley signed a six-year, $61.5 million deal just before the start of the 2011 season, and he’s already made $27 million on the first two years of that contract. At the time Woodley signed that contract, he was coming off his third consecutive double-digit sack season, and he had only missed one game in the last three years.
But in the last two years Woodley’s sack totals have declined to nine in 2011 and four in 2012, and he has missed nine games in the last two years.