Bryant McKinnie said he's happy, healthy and 28 pounds lighter than the day his nine-year Vikings career came to a surprise end on Aug. 2.
"I was 383 pounds when I showed up in Mankato for training camp," said McKinnie, now the starting left tackle for the Baltimore Ravens at what he calls his normal playing weight of 355. "Yes, I was heavy. No, I wasn't 400 pounds."
McKinnie sounds happier. For good reason.
He once was a larger-than-life-size symbol of the baggage the Vikings needed to purge for the good of the team. Now, he's atop the AFC North with his 4-1 Ravens while the Vikings are last in the NFC North with a 1-5 record and some serious pass protection issues.
"When we signed him [Aug. 24], I told him this isn't our first rodeo as far as dealing with players that have issues," said Ozzie Newsome, Ravens general manager. "We will take on some of the issues if that player is willing to work with us. Bryant was more than willing. He's met every [weight] mark he was supposed to make and has actually been even better than we thought in making those marks."
McKinnie has started every game this season for a team that's fifth in the league in scoring. He's improving with each game, said Newsome, and gives Baltimore a 10-year veteran and former first-round draft pick who, like him or not, has never missed a game because of injuries or health issues.
"I wish the Vikings well," McKinnie said. "They did what they felt they had to do. I did what I felt I had to do. I'm doing fine. I look around and I can't help but think that things happen for a reason."
McKinnie said he knew his release was coming when his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, threatened to file a grievance against the Vikings for putting McKinnie on the Non-Football Injury (NFI) list. McKinnie said he had already rejected an offer to restructure his contract, per Rosenhaus' advice, in part because the team wanted to move some of his guaranteed money to incentives to reduce his $5.4 million salary cap figure.