PHOTOS: Jarrad Davis got crazy swole this offseason

Jarrad Davis is entering a critical year for his future. With his fifth-year option declined earlier this offseason after a disappointing start to his career, the former first-round pick is entering what could be his final season with the Detroit Lions and a crossroads for the rest of his career.

But Davis appears to be doing everything he can this offseason to turn around his play. And that apparently includes getting hella buff, thanks, in part, to the people over at Michigan Elite Conditioning for Athletes (MECA). Take a look:

The accomplishments that MECA boasts are seriously impressive. In just a year, they claim Davis:

• Went from 227 to 248 pounds
• Dropped his body fat from 14% to 9.8%
• Increased his bench press from 297 to 375

Some of these accomplishments were noticeable last year, as several analysts mentioned that Davis looked significantly bigger during offseason workouts. Then linebackers coach Al Golden was impressed:

“Right now, he’s bigger than he was at any point in his career and he’s holding it really well,” Golden said. “I couldn’t believe when he walked in from the offseason. He had a great offseason. He’s really excited about the challenge to grow as a leader, to be honest with you.”

But it’s one thing to hear about it. It’s another to actually see it.

Davis’ transformation has also been helped by the fact that he’s been keeping in shape using his own transformed basement-turned-gym which he calls, according to teammate Christian Jones, “The Lions Den.”

Of course, motivation, strength and athleticism have never been the biggest issues with Davis’ game, and he knows it.

“I have the talent to be a good coverage linebacker, but I just haven’t been able to show exactly what I can do in that area, whether it be from just overthinking or just trying to do too much,” Davis said earlier this month.

So while Davis continues to do everything he physically can to salvage his Lions career, nothing is truly accomplished until there a change in the product on the field. But for now, Davis still has the coaching staff’s confidence.

“I think JD is a cornerstone of what we’re trying to do,” Lions head coach Matt Patricia said. “He’s in those big-picture plans in where we’re trying to go.”

It’s worth pointing out, this isn’t the first time MECA has helped physically transformed a Lions player: