Neckbone is off Ryan Anderson's menu. After an NFL rookie season that he's called "a learning experience," Anderson made changes in the offseason designed to have him better prepared for his second campaign with the Washington Redskins.

"I feel like I didn't approach it the way I really should have approached it last year," Anderson told reporters after practice at the Redskins' training camp in Richmond, Virginia, on Tuesday, "being a rookie, not really understanding how long the season was, how good a lot of these guys are. I didn't take care of my body the way I should have.

"Right now, I'm really into my body, how I'm eating and just keeping everything up. And stuff's finally starting to slow down. I got the defense down, and I'm learning what offenses are doing out of certain personnel. So it's starting to slow down for me."

An outside linebacker, Anderson joined Washington from Alabama in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft. The former Daphne High School standout played in 14 games and was on the field for 193 defensive snaps, 146 special-teams plays and six snaps as a fullback last season.

Anderson said he feels "so much better" this season after changing the way he eats. Anderson, whose roster weight remains at 253 pounds, said he'd lost 10 pounds since last season.

"I changed my diet a lot," Anderson said. "I finished the year, I was heavy. I'm from the country, man. I always ate neckbones, collard greens and macaroni. I ain't no damn vegan or none of that. I finally got myself on a solid diet. Got away from a lot of the fried stuff, and it worked out for me."

Anderson said he also didn't adapt well as a rookie to the differences in preparation between college and the NFL.

"You don't get as many reps here," Anderson said. "There's a lot of guys and everything is more mental. I've got to pay more attention in meetings. I was a guy who could see something once, write it down and not look at it again, because I knew I was going to go through a walkthrough and I'm going to get 70-plus reps in practice, so I'm going to see the play three or four times. Here it's different. You get probably 30 plays throughout the day, and you've got to make the best of them."

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Anderson's teammates have noticed a difference in the linebacker.

"I mean I think the biggest adjustment, as coming from your rookie into your second year, is the professionalism," Washington offensive tackle Morgan Moses said about Anderson during a Tuesday press conference. "You know, you can see when he comes into the building every day he has something he wants to work on, whether it's on the field or off the field. Is it getting stronger in the weight room, the knowledge of the game, watching the game on your iPad or whatever it is, more understanding the defense and concepts?

"You can see that about him. When he walks around, you know, he, instead of talking all the time, he gives you like the head nod. He's on his way doing something. I think that's a good thing for him, and I think, you know, you can tell the leadership is rubbing (off) on him, as in Ryan Kerrigan and, you know, Preston (Smith) and (Pernell) McPhee, the older guys in the room. That he's starting to shape his way into that professionalism as a football player."

Anderson is hoping his NFL career can follow the trajectory of his time at Alabama, where he increased his tackle and sack totals every season.

"It's similar to what I went through in college," Anderson said. "Just had to get back grounded and start back over and start working again."

Anderson is one of five former Crimson Tide players on Washington's roster. He's joined by defensive end Jonathan Allen, linebacker Shaun Dion Hamilton, defensive tackle Da'Ron Payne and wide receiver Cam Sims.

"It feels good," Anderson said of playing with his once and current teammates. "I'm happy the other guys are here, except Shaun. You know, I never liked Shaun Dion. Probably never will like him. I'm just playing. It's great, though."

Anderson left Friday's practice because of back spasms. He was back on the field on Tuesday.

The Redskins kick off their four-game preseason schedule on Aug. 9 against the New England Patriots.

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @AMarkG1.