Every training camp, it seems as if every player reports in “the best shape of their lives”. It’s the type rhetoric that’s so overused and tired that nearly all of its meaning has been sucked out. For Le’Veon Bell, though, his claim of being in the best shape of his life might actually have some merit:

Even the team roster guide hasn’t caught up with Bell’s rapid transformation, as the third-year pro is still listed at 244 pounds in his bio. It’s safe to say Bell probably hasn’t weighed that much in a while.

Even with a bum knee, Bell looks fantastic. Monday afternoon at training camp, I observed Bell displaying a degree of speed and lateral quickness that simply didn’t exist last season. He looks terrific.

As Bell is potentially on the verge of seeing his three-game suspension decreased to only one or two games, the All-Pro running back will seek to build upon a 2014 season in which he emerged as arguably the top back in the NFL. With an absolutely rigorous offseason training regimen that’s allowed him shred over 20 pounds in the span of two seasons, Bell is set to continue his rise to the top of the league’s running back hierarchy.