Oren Burks Might Not Get a Better Chance

Zero2Cool
Elite Member Topic Starter

3 years ago

It’s easy to see why linebacker the Green Bay Packers liked Oren Burks as a third-round pick. In 2018, the Green Bay wanted to get faster on defense, and not many prospects were better suited than Burks, a safety-linebacker hybrid out of Vanderbilt. So, they traded up to get him. However, his athletic testing aside, Burks has been a major flop. Through 26 games, he has failed to crack the rotation. And with only a couple of years left on his rookie deal, he could be running out of opportunities.

A 4.59 forty, 39.5-inch vertical, 10’11” broad jump, and a 6.82 three-cone time. For an inside linebacker, these numbers are tremendous. Even in today’s NFL where teams are looking for more athleticism out of the position than ever before. Burks fit the mold nearly perfect, however, it’s hard to gauge where Burks fit into the team’s plans. They just selected inside linebacker Kamal Martin in the fifth round of the 2020 NFL Draft.

At the time of Burks’ selection, Blake Martinez was coming into his own and the Packers probably didn’t expect Jake Ryan to tear his ACL that July. Ryan’s unfortunate injury presented Burks with a great opportunity for his rookie season while everyone remained optimistic.

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CheeseheadTV wrote:

I don't know if it's his number or size, or play, or all the above, but I feel like Burks is a big Safety.

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Smokey
Veteran Member

3 years ago

I'd like to see Burks burst forth in his 3rd season.

A note for Zero: Will you be posting the 2020 GB Draft picks in the forums Packer Draft History? I noticed it has not been updated.

beast
Select Member

3 years ago

I don't know if it's his number or size, or play, or all the above, but I feel like Burks is a big Safety.

Originally Posted by: Zero2Cool

1) It's because he basically is.
2) That actually MIGHT be offensive to the big Safeties who actually have more power than Burks, which at times Burks looked like he was completely lacking.

As for the start of the article saying it was easy to see why they liked him, that's only if you look at the combine testing numbers. He's extremely athletic in shorts. The film was a different story, a number of NFL CBs had more power than Burks did in college, hell a couple of kickers had more power in their tackling than Burks showed in college.

Burks is the anti-Martinez, Burk has great movement skills, but can also be easily fooled and even if he gets there quickly, there is absolutely no garentee that he'll bring the guy down, as he might just grab and fall, and pray he can hold on.

Don't get me wrong, I'm talking about him in college and he has improved in the NFL, but Russell Wilson made him look absolutely silly on one play, Burks had him one on one, and Wilson just pump faked making Burks run completely wrong direction, which gave Wilson the edge to run for like 20+ yards when he should of had less than 5 if not a possible sack.

When you have the QB, and only person on the edge for a running QB, you don't come off of them.

But this is truely a great chance for an ILB to step up, and Gute really was hyping Burks, so maybe he's shown a lot lot better in practice or something. But Burks has been plain bad on defense in games so far.

Zero2Cool
Elite Member Topic Starter

3 years ago

I'm not sure we can cast a guy aside because Russell Wilson made him look silly. The guy kind of has made a living out of that. Now if it was someone like Rex Grossman who repeatedly made him look silly -- THAT would be something worth mentioning, lol. (and hint to retire!)

beast
Select Member

3 years ago

Originally Posted by: Zero2Cool

I agree with that, and I'm not saying give up on the guy, but from everything I've seen so far, the guy looking like an amazing athlete but a horrible football player.

But I've seen Mason Crosby clearly tackle better than some of Burks hits.

And it wasn't Wilson that made him look silly, but his completely lacking instincts in football weariness... you had the QB dead to rights, and you drop back into coverage when there is no one else within 15 yards of you?

And this isn't a one time thing, but repetitive... just that was the worst looking one and it happened last year, where the others are from his rookie year, as he really didn't see the field while on defense last year.

I think he's a great athlete, but he might not be enough of a football player... PPF rated him as a 45.0 (their scores can go that low?)

Of course, who knows, he could totally shock me and pull it around, Gute hyping him, is giving me a little bit of hope that he's shown a lot more in practice than he has on the game field. But it's been extremely hard for me to believe in Burks after watching his lack of instincts and failure to finish tackles because lack of power.

I'm thinking we'll see Raven Greene as a coverage LB more and Burks less.... or may be the FA LB at coverage LB and someone else at the run stopper ILB role.

Zero2Cool
Elite Member Topic Starter

3 years ago

I was getting stoked about Raven Greene. I was thinking he could be a poor man's Nick Collins. And that's not a slight on him. If he can be 3/4 of Nick Collins, I call that a massive freaking win! But this topic is about Burks and I got nothing bout the dude. I hope he pans out, I just can't say I'm too optimistic.

beast
Select Member

3 years ago

Originally Posted by: Zero2Cool

The topic is about Burks who is basically limited to the covert ILB role, so I figure the coverage ILB role and whom else might play it, is included.

If Kirksey gets at the coverage ILB role with Summers or Martin (or an OLB on creative package roles), then that will limit Burks reps.

And basically Amos and Greene, one at SS and one at the coverage ILB role are the guys that will be competing with Burks for the coverage ILB playing time when Kirksey is at run stopper role.

Honestly I think Greene is good, but might be a bit over rated simply from the f act the games we saw him play, the defensive front just dominated those OLs. Don't get me wrong, Greene played great in those games, but it's much easier to hide flaws when the guys in front of you are dominating.

Side note: I think Savage has the raw physical potential to be better than Nick Collins. Collins had very few flaws, but one he had (especially early), was mentally overaggressive, where he would see something and lock into it and solely it. Which when that was correct, he usually made a big play. But when he was wrong, he usually blew a coverage. Savage basically has the same upside and he doesn't have that flaw.

Collins might of been a bit bigger and more physical, but Savage is quite aggressive and physical when he's allowed to come out of his deep zone too.

PS: Just because someone has the potential to be better, doesn't mean they'll reach that potential, just that in theory, they could.

gbguy20
Veteran Member

3 years ago

I'm rooting for Burks. Though I don't see how his chances are better with Blake gone than with him here. We've already got Blake's assumed replacement with Christian. Either Pettine just hates using a second LB or Burks main competition wasn't his fellow LB's but it was the safeties used in that spot. I'd like to see him be given a chance, and earn his chance, but who knows, maybe their just isn't a way for a 2nd LB to get decent playing time in this defense.

beast
Select Member

3 years ago

Originally Posted by: gbguy20

I believe their is a coverage LB spot, which in theory Burks should be perfect for, but as you said he's competing against the Safeties and so far and losing.

I think Kirksey, if healthy, is verstile enough to play either spot, and as you noted, he might be used as the coverage LB with Summers or Martin as the chase physical run stopping.

So I think you make a great point, that the Safeties are still here and a more versatile LB, so Burks chances of getting on the field might be worse than last year, where they just had the non-cover LBers and some injured Safeties.

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