OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- If Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Breshad Perriman gets an extra step on a cornerback for a touchdown catch, it could be the result of dropping some pounds this offseason.

The lost weight didn't come from a diet or increased exercise. It was a haircut.

Perriman doesn't know why he decided to clip off his signature dreadlocks, which hung below his shoulders. He just woke up one morning and got rid of them.

"I feel much lighter," Perriman said. "Once I cut it, I weighed myself, and I lost three or four pounds. It was crazy."

Perriman caused a buzz on Twitter late last month when he posted a picture that showed he had shaved his head and now sported a bald look.

The Ravens hope Perriman's trim brings similar results to the last time one of their wide receivers said goodbye to his dreadlocks. Before the 2013 season, Torrey Smith went with a shorter hairstyle and produced career numbers. He caught 65 passes that season for 1,128 yards and four touchdowns.

Perriman, who returned to practice Tuesday and expects to play in the regular-season opener, likes his new haircut. In fact, he has just one complaint.

"It just gets cold sometimes," he said with a smile.