Professor

Berry looking for '04 form

excerpt:

OAKLAND - Bertrand Berry turns 32 next week, but to hear his teammates' jokes, you would think it's 82. Every joke that starts with "you're so old," you can bet that Berry has heard it.

His favorite? "That I played defensive end for the Israelites."

Berry doesn't mind. In fact, he views the jokes as compliments of sorts.

"I take pride in it," he said. "It means I've been around for a while, and I'm obviously doing something right because they're keeping me around."

Berry has been through tribulations in his career. The Colts let him walk in 1999 after three seasons. St. Louis cut him in training camp that year and he sat out the season. He resurrected his career in three seasons in Denver, then signed with the Cardinals in 2004.

That was a magical year for Berry, who finished with 14.5 sacks and made his first Pro Bowl. The last two years, however, have been trying. A torn pectoral muscle ended his 2005 season after eight games.

Last year, he didn't produce at the level expected. He had three sacks in Oakland, where the Cardinals play a preseason game tonight, but that was half of his season total. A torn triceps caused him to miss the final six games.

When you've missed that much time, when you're turning 32, when you're making $4 million a year, people start to wonder how much longer you'll be around.

Judging by how Berry looks and how he's played in training camp, he could be around for several more years. He has lost about 15 pounds, down to 256, and appears as quick as ever coming off the offensive tackle's shoulder.

"I've really re-dedicated myself physically to being a better-conditioned athlete," he said. "When I got here in '04, I felt like I was a very well-conditioned athlete. I could go pretty much start to finish in a game."

And the past two years?

"I didn't like the way I looked and to be honest I did wear down at the end of games," he said. "I felt like there was more holding on than being aggressive. In years past, I always prided myself on being in better condition than my opponent. The last couple years, for whatever reason, I didn't feel that way.

"I looked at myself on tape and I just didn't look like the same athlete I was in years past. I made a concerted effort to drop the pounds, use my quickness and get back to that type of game and see what happens."

Berry's return to form is critical for a defense that is not overloaded with pass rushers. Although Berry has been moved from end to outside linebacker in the 3-4 alignment, his duties won't change much from when he was a defensive end in a 4-3.

It should help that he won't be matched up head-on with a tackle as often. The idea is to get Berry on the edge of the offensive formation and let him use his speed and quickness.

"It seems to me he has a little spring in his step," coach Ken Whisenhunt said, "and that's exciting. Obviously, he's done a lot of work in the off-season and he looks good."

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