Guard David Arkin enters his second year in the NFL a lot stronger than he was as a rookie a year ago, and he hopes this increased strength will allow him to see more than just the practice field in 2012.
A year-long practice squad guy, Arkin was inactive for all 17 weeks of the 2011 season after being drafted by Dallas in the fourth round of the draft. Much of what kept him off the field and held him back last year came down to a matter of “anchor strength,” Arkin believes, and he’s spent the offseason hitting the weights to remedy the problem.
“I feel like I’ve gotten a lot better at that,” he said, per the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “I’ve been pretty much straight through, since the season started, lifting really hard. So I feel like it’s benefited me a lot.”
Arkin has an even steeper hill to climb this season in terms of competition at the guard position, as Dallas signed veterans Nate Livings and Mackenzy Bernadeau in free agency. But for whatever it’s worth, head coach Jason Garrett was quick to point out a marked improvement in Arkin’s game during offseason practices.
“He’s two days into our football phase of the offseason, and he’s done some good things out there, but he has to improve really, like we all have to improve,” Garrett said back in May. “He’s dedicated. He’s tough. He just needs to play more football. We’re giving him a chance to do that.”
Stay on top of the latest Dallas Cowboys news with NBCDFW.com. Follow NBC DFW on Facebook or have breaking Cowboys news sent directly to your phone with Blue Star SMS alerts. Text "bluestar" to 622339 (NBCDFW) to subscribe, text HELP for more info, and text STOP to end the subscription. Message and data rates may apply.Read more about it here.
