MintBaconDrivel
11 years ago

GREEN BAY — When it comes to talking to reporters, Morgan Burnett is a lot of things: Always willing to talk, always pleasant, always polite. He is a reliable fellow who earnestly tries to answer each question he is asked.

Here's what Burnett is not: Brash, outspoken, loud. He is not especially opinionated — he's more likely to opt for a safe cliché than anything — and there are plenty more colorful characters in the Green Bay Packers locker room. In fact, after one interview session this offseason, one impolite reporter, who shall remain nameless, could be heard snarkily saying, "Finally, something good," after one of Burnett's replies.

What does this all matter? It doesn't. For when it comes to the most important type of communication — that from the back end of the Packers' defense, where the fourth-year safety is in charge — Burnett has grown into the role beautifully.

"Communication is vital. We can't do it enough," safeties coach Darren Perry explained in advance of training camp, which kicks off with its first practice on Friday at Ray Nitschke Field. "He's kind of grown out of that, even in the meetings, and I think with confidence, the players look back there and see that he's making the calls, I think that important, particularly in an environment like this.

"Because, they trust him now … when you've got Clay (Matthews) looking back at you and you're giving him calls and so forth, and he's trusting you, that does something for your psyche. And that's the good thing. You build some chemistry, you build some trust and hopefully that'll carry over to the season."

For his part, Burnett admits it wasn't the most comfortable role for him coming out of Georgia Tech as a rookie third-round pick in 2010, when he was installed as a starter from Day 1. Had his season gone as planned, he'd have spent the entire season alongside veteran Nick Collins, who was earning his third Pro Bowl berth, and won a Super Bowl in his first NFL season. Instead, Burnett suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his knee in the fourth game of the season, and that was that.

Since then, he's been thrust into an unexpected leadership role not once but twice: When Collins suffered what turned out to be a career-ending neck injury in Week 2 of the 2011 season, and when potential Pro Football Hall of Famer Charles Woodson converted to safety — only to miss nine games with a broken collarbone.

Now, with the ink barely dry on a four-year, $24.75 million extension that paid him a guaranteed $8.25 million signing bonus and ties him to the Packers through the 2017 season, Burnett's importance to the defense is undeniable. Not only do his coaches believe he is a Pro Bowl safety in waiting — remember, former Packers standout safeties LeRoy Butler (1993), Darren Sharper (2000) and Collins (2008) earned their first Pro Bowl selections in their fourth seasons — but he's the only proven commodity at the position. Potential starters M.D. Jennings and Jerron McMillian each played 600 snaps on defense last season, but neither appears to have the inside track on the job alongside Burnett. The idea of having to play both of them simultaneously if Burnett went down with an injury has to be disconcerting.

Since returning from the ACL tear, Burnett has started every one of the Packers' 35 games (including playoffs) since. He registered 112 tackles, one sack and four interceptions and broke up 16 passes in 17 games in 2011, then had 148 tackles, two sacks, two interceptions and 15 break-ups last season in 18 games. Burnett played every one of the Packers' 1,260 snaps of defense last year.

"I'm just trying to improve physically and mentally, understanding the defense more from Year 3 trying to get better in Year 4," Burnett said. "Going into this year being a leader in this secondary with my checks and my calls, I want to be loud and decisive because a safety, you're considered the quarterback of the defense. That's my job description and I want to do my job to the best of my abilities. It doesn't mean I have to get outside of my element. Just keep doing what I'm doing and try to find a way to take advantage of these practices to get better."

Jason Wilde  wrote:


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dfosterf (13h) : TWO magnificent strikes for touchdowns. Lose the pennstate semigeezer non nfl backup
dfosterf (13h) : There was minicamp Thursday. My man Taylor Engersma threw
dfosterf (11-Jun) : There will be a mini camp practice Thursday.
Zero2Cool (11-Jun) : He's been sporting a ring for a while now. It's probably Madonna.
Martha Careful (10-Jun) : We only do the tea before whoopee, it relaxes me.
wpr (10-Jun) : That's awesome Martha.
Mucky Tundra (10-Jun) : How's the ayahuasca tea he makes, Martha?
Martha Careful (10-Jun) : Turns out he like older women
Martha Careful (10-Jun) : I wasn't supposed to say anything, but yes the word is out and we are happy 😂😂😂
Mucky Tundra (10-Jun) : I might be late on this but Aaron Rodgers is now married
Mucky Tundra (10-Jun) : Well he can always ask his brother for pointers
Zero2Cool (10-Jun) : Bo Melton taking some reps at CB as well as WR
Zero2Cool (10-Jun) : key transactions coming today at 3pm that will consume more cap in 2025
Zero2Cool (9-Jun) : Jaire played in just 34 of a possible 68 games since the start of the 2021 season
Zero2Cool (9-Jun) : reported, but not expected to practice
Zero2Cool (9-Jun) : Jenkins has REPORTED for mandatory camp
Zero2Cool (9-Jun) : I really thought he'd play for Packers.
buckeyepackfan (9-Jun) : Packers releasing Jaire Alexander.
Mucky Tundra (8-Jun) : (Context: he wants his defense to create turnovers)
Mucky Tundra (8-Jun) : Giants DC Shane Bowen tells players to “be a damn pirate."
dfosterf (6-Jun) : Semper fi !
Cheesey (6-Jun) : This is why I have so much respect for those that have gone through battles
Cheesey (6-Jun) : I can't even imagine what that would have been like
wpr (6-Jun) : "Come on, you sons of bitches. Do you want to live forever?"
wpr (6-Jun) : Facing a line of machine guns 2 time medal of Honor recipient, First Sergeant Dan Daly told his men,
wpr (6-Jun) : Another detachment went into the Belleau Wood.
wpr (6-Jun) : On the 6th the Marines took Hill 142 but suffered terrible losses.
wpr (6-Jun) : It’s time to remember dfoster’s Marine brothers in Belleau Wood. The battle went on from June 1-26. Nearly 10,000 casualties.
packerfanoutwest (6-Jun) : Nick Collins and Morgan Burnett have signed with the PACK
packerfanoutwest (6-Jun) : he won't be wearing #12, maybe he will wear number two
packerfanoutwest (6-Jun) : He will fail this season, should have retired
Mucky Tundra (5-Jun) : Thus the cycle of Hall of Fame Packer QBs going to the Jets and then the Vikings is broken
bboystyle (5-Jun) : Rodgers to steelers on 1 year contract
Zero2Cool (5-Jun) : It's the cycle of civilizations. Get lazier, lazier, softer, softer and vanish.
Martha Careful (5-Jun) : great point. every aspect of society, including art, culture and sports has degraded.
dfosterf (4-Jun) : Green Bay sweep meant something to society about stopping pure excellence. We have the tush push now
dfosterf (4-Jun) : We old Martha.
Martha Careful (4-Jun) : *front four
Martha Careful (4-Jun) : Re frout four, I wish we had some Green "People Eaters" or a fearsome foursome
dfosterf (4-Jun) : *directions*
dfosterf (4-Jun) : Just don't ask him for driving direct
dfosterf (4-Jun) : Jim Marshall was an all-time great DE for the Purple People Eaters. Didn't like him. That's a compliment. RIP
Zero2Cool (3-Jun) : ooppppss
Zero2Cool (3-Jun) : “Kenny Clark played all of last season hurt by the way and got surgery to fix it in January”
Mucky Tundra (3-Jun) : @ByRyanWood How much did the injury affect him last fall? “A lot.”
Mucky Tundra (3-Jun) : @ByRyanWood Kenny Clark said he had foot surgery in January. Injured his foot in opener against Eagles and played through it all year.
Zero2Cool (3-Jun) : Golden is wearing guardian cap again. I bet he plays with it on too.
Mucky Tundra (3-Jun) : All the stuff I'm reading from Lions fans are pointing at his toe; he more or less has permanent turf toe in one of his big toes
dfosterf (3-Jun) : Kenny played through it, and a shame he gets little credit for that, imo
dfosterf (3-Jun) : Big men. I hope it's not the undoing of Kenny Clark
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