Cross-Training Burks Gets New Opportunity

With Oren Burks languishing on the bench after failing once again to earn playing time at inside linebacker, he has been given an opportunity at outside linebacker.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Preston Smith likes to think of himself as “an oversized lockdown corner.” 

The Green Bay Packers no doubt appreciate the outside linebacker’s attitude about dropping into coverage, but they’re paying him a lot of money to sack the quarterback.

With Smith playing coverage rather than pressuring the quarterback on about 37 percent of opponent passing snaps, he’s got only one-half sack after piling up a career-high 12 last season.

Meanwhile, with Oren Burks languishing on the bench after failing once again to earn playing time at inside linebacker, the Packers figured it was time to throw a Hail Mary to salvage the former third-round pick’s career.

Combining those two elements, the Packers have been cross-training Burks at inside linebacker and outside linebacker. After playing three snaps in the first two games, Burks played 13 snaps last week at New Orleans. It was his most snaps since playing 14 snaps at the end of last year’s Week 7 blowout of the Raiders. Partially, the hope is Burks can gobble up some of the coverage snaps played by Kyler Fackrell last season and Smith this season.

“He definitely can,” outside linebackers coach Mike Smith said on Friday. “When you’re on the edge, it’s the same thing as playing inside with some of the drops with the seam-flat and quarter-flat. It’s just where you’re at now, where you’re aligned. You’re still dropping, just the feel and the look is different, but you’re exactly right. It’s a little bit of the thought process behind cross-training him.”

When the idea was broached to Smith, he fired up some Vanderbilt film. As a sophomore, Burks had two interceptions, including a pick-six, against Kentucky. In two seasons as a starting linebacker, he had 4.5 sacks and 13.5 tackles for losses. Smith said a couple times that he’s been “shocked” by how quickly Burks has picked up what is a totally new position.

“He played lot of [edge rusher] in college and had a little bit of a knack for rushing the passer,” defensive coordinator Mike Pettine said. “This is a guy, he’s one of our core (special)-teamers and has a skill-set that can do some things. When we saw that he wasn’t taking a lot of reps inside; we always like to cross-train our guys to add depth. He brings some things to that room that can help us from a pass rush standpoint, a drop standpoint. Actually, he’s probably spending more time there than he is with the inside ‘backers.”

With Za’Darius Smith, Preston Smith and Rashan Gary, the Packers have a lot of pass rushers capable of winning with brute force. That wouldn’t be Burks’ path to the quarterback. At 233 pounds, he’s 32 pounds less than Preston Smith, for instance. Mike Smith referenced Dee Ford. In 2018 – Ford’s and Smith’s final year with the Kansas City Chiefs – the 252-pound Ford had 13 sacks and seven forced fumbles. Smith wasn’t comparing the two, only pointing out that Ford offered a different rush plan than the powerful Justin Houston, just as Burks would offer a different challenge for offensive tackles than the Smith Bros.

Moreover, as this week’s positive COVID-19 test results have shown, a season can change in a flash. If the cross-training works, Burks would offer more to the roster than he would as simply a backup inside linebacker.

“You never know what’s going to happen right now with what’s going on,” Smith said. “Just like with Preston, O.B.’s a team player. It’s about our shirts, the team. Whatever helps this team to be 3-0, let’s do it and let’s roll.”

Countdown to Kickoff

Five Days: Five Keys to the Game

Four Days: Four Items from Inside the Falcons

Three Days: Three Reasons to Worry

Two Days: Two X-Factors

Rodgers and LaFleur: Go with the Flow

Shepherd: Second Chance

Tackling: Taking Deeper Look

Sportsbooks: ‘Shocked’ by Packers