Stephen Holder

stephen.holder@indystar.com

There were times last season when Colts linebackers coach Jeff FitzGerald would watch Bjoern Werner on tape and clearly see something critical was missing.

"We (coaches) would tell each other when watching tape, 'He needs the offseason to get stronger, build himself properly,'" FitzGerald recalled this week.

So the team issued a challenge to its 2013 first-round draft choice. Hit the weight room – hard.

How'd he do?

"He's done a really good job," FitzGerald said. "He stayed here in the offseason. He went to Germany, I think, for a week. He was not gone long. So I'd walk down the hall and pass by him. He was like the only guy around. So, he made a commitment to stay put and he looks a lot better. He just moves better and he's carrying his weight better. He's stronger."

More power won't necessarily translate into an immediate flurry of sacks after an uneven rookie season when the Berlin native posted 2.5 sacks. But it certainly won't hurt, the Colts believe.

And the team could really benefit this season from a big jump in production for Werner with Robert Mathis suspended for the season's first four games.

And the added power, FitzGerald said, gives the Colts some options. Though Werner has played the "rush linebacker" position almost exclusively, Werner could be a candidate to take snaps on the strong side, too.

"I know, comfortably, that he could also be a strong-side linebacker," FitzGerald said of Werner. "Now, we couldn't just throw him over there. He doesn't have a lot of work. Last year, you might remember we lost Erik (Walden) for a week and we moved Werner over. But basically his foundation has been very thin. But in my mind, if we work with him a little bit more, he'll be a guy who can play either one and do it pretty good."