Several Dallas Cowboys players are noticeably leaner in Oxnard

“What have you been eating?” The question can carry several different connotations, of which can steer the conversation in a number of directions. Growing children hear the phrase frequently when visiting with family or friends they haven’t seen in a long time, which more often comes as a result of the allotted time than a stark growth spurt.

Aspiring body-builders are recipients of the same praise, as the results of their tireless work begin to unveil themselves in the form of rigid biceps and toned abdominals. And those with weight-loss objectives might hear it as their dietary disciplines begin to show fruitful exterior results.

Now, dropping pounds isn’t necessarily the main goal of most NFL athletes (in fact, oftentimes their goals are the exact opposite), but when additional body baggage slows down their pursuits, discarding carbs can produce transformative results. And when the Dallas Cowboys showed up at Oxnard for their annual training camp grind, a number of players showed off the results of the pounds they were able to shed off in the offseason.

Those results? Well, see for yourself.

No, ladies and gentleman, these guys are not gearing up for any unreleased edition of ESPN’s “The Body” issue. These are the images of veterans who arrived to with a visible appetite for improvement — to right the wrongs of a ghastly 2020.

Tyron Smith looks every bit the part of the vacuum force that swallowed up would-be tacklers throughout the last decade. He’s off to an incredible start this season, consistently brandishing a combination of quickness, strength and attitude that’s epitomized a clear message without any form of spoken word: “I’m far from finished.”

Hopefully his nagging elbow tendinitis will be short-lived.

La’el Collins, meanwhile, appears to have a desire to rival Smith in this year’s “strongest Cowboy” contest. His secret is laying off the fried catfish. Fans hope that will help him to catch more unsuspecting defenders in precarious positions as bait.

The pair’s passionate drive is spreading to the rest of the guys up front. Guard Connor Williams spoke on their disposition:

“[They’re] hungrier now more than ever. I think especially this year, they have a little bit more taste for blood.”

And oh yeah, the man who’s made a brand of being fed in massive portions is down to his lowest weight since his freshman year in college. Ezekiel Elliott would surely like to do away with any and all inklings of 2020, and it looks as if he’s ready to make his entire organization forget about the shaky outing.

Smith, Collins and Elliott only comprise a fraction of Dallas’ roster, but these three will shift the needle for Dallas’ offense in incalculable ways. And if their offseason efforts foreshadow anything about the 2021 campaign, each has stellar things in store.

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