"Jamal Lewis ran 1,304 yards last season when his playing weight was listed at 245 pounds.

So what did he do in the offseason?

He dieted and lost weight so he could report to the Browns training camp at the lightest he has been since he was a junior at the University of Tennessee.

Want to question that decision?

You're allowed; it is America, after all. But nobody on the Browns seems to know himself better than Lewis, and nobody takes as professional an approach to preparation and readiness for the season.

Consider Lewis' thinking for coming to camp at 237 pounds - a loss that is noticeable.

''Knowing the scheme that we're going to run here and the runs that we run . . . there are a lot of outside runs,'' he said after the morning workout Monday. ''There's not a lot of old-school, downhill, pounding plays. Being able to utilize the offensive line that we have, with their skill and their speed, as agile as they are, as athletic as they are, I just felt like I needed to get down so I could hit the corner and get back to doing what I used to do.''

Which makes a person wonder: If last season wasn't what he used to do, what was it?

No matter. Of the many key players on the Browns, Lewis is as important as any.

He's a veteran who answers questions directly and honestly. He speaks not with a bravado, but with a matter-of-factness that indicates he understands what he's saying - and more importantly, what he's doing.

A year ago, Lewis was brought in on a one-year contract and Browns General Manager Phil Savage said, ''A hungry Jamal is a good Jamal.''

Hate to disagree, but he was better than good.

Lewis was a force on the field and a positive influence off it. His attention to diet impressed many of his teammates, and his professional approach spread."