Atlanta Falcons free safety Ricardo Allen, a converted cornerback, is nine pounds heavier thanks to a simple change in philosophy -- eating more.

The 5-foot-9-inch Allen is up to 196 pounds after typically playing at 187 last season.

Falcons safety Ricardo Allen has added weight this offseason so he's better equipped to handle 16 games of the physical toll his position requires. Photo by Todd Kirkland/Icon Sportswire

"Last year, I was just waiting until practice would be over to eat, and I would just try to load myself up before bed," Allen said. "It wasn’t working because my energy intake wasn’t working too well for me. But now, I’ve been eating peanut butter & jelly sandwiches here and there; getting myself a protein shake at the right time through the day. I’m probably eating six or seven times a day as opposed to two or three times."

That's quite a dramatic change in diet.

"I was eating a breakfast and then I was eating at the end of the day," Allen explained. "In the middle of it, I was losing a bunch of weight. I was burning everything. We’d come out to practice and before practice, I wasn’t really eating much, either.

"Now, I’ve got a little bit more weight to come with me. I feel like my speed has stayed the same. I’m running hard. My conditioning feels pretty good."

Secondary coach Marquand Manuel has noticed the difference in Allen.

"He's our Earl Thomas, so to do what he does for as long as we need him, for 16-plus games, his body started to deteriorate last year because he treated himself like a corner," Manuel said. "It was his first time playing safety. So, I needed him to bulk up a bit. It wasn't just about putting (the weight) on, it was being able to run with it and be athletic as well.

"I think it's going to prolong him. Where you saw him wear down during the season, that's where now I think it's going to be this big advantage where, 'I've been playing safety for a year. I'm big enough, strong enough, fast enough. Now, I can really do it.' For me, that was really his goal."

Manuel saw Allen start to wear down a little bit last season when the Falcons played the Titans in Week 7.

"And I had to start taking reps off him in practice," Manuel said. "You started seeing it in games, where the normal tackles, his body got beat up. He was getting in the cold tub. He was doing all the things to take care of it. But his build and frame, he thought he could get ready like he always got ready. It's not the same playing that position. He was like 181 at some point during last season. That's hard to be when you're tackling Adrian Peterson.

"Now, you can see it. He's athletic with it. And it's good weight. He gradually put it on. It wasn't just like overnight. My challenge with him is once he starts getting in this sweltering weather, 'Can you maintain that weight?' That's the key."

Allen, a former fifth-round pick who was once released then re-signed to the practice squad, continues to be a success story for the Falcons. His transition from cornerback to safety was seamless. In fact, he evolved into the team's best tackler last season while playing the important deep middle of the field in the Cover 3 scheme. Allen finished last season third on the team with 68 tackles to go with a team-leading three interceptions and a sack.

"He was the best tackler on the team, and the thing about it was his mentality and his attitude," Manuel said. "When you watched him, he worked at it every day. I tell him all the time, 'Your job is to stay on top, no seams, no posts, and make sure you get the ball down and give us another down.' And he took that challenge on which, for me, was awesome, because we really had a rookie at safety starting.

"You saw a lot of bright spots (last season) with his ball skills. Now, not only has he put on weight, he now takes leadership and ownership of what he does."

Going into his third season, a heavier Allen is better equipped to handle the weight on his shoulders.