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Oren Burks (1 Viewer)

massraider

Footballguy
Maybe not worth his own thread, but seems like a great dynasty scoop if he's available.

I liked his opportunity and profile before the Jake Ryan knee injury today, but if he's available in any deep leagues, and you can get him, seems like a fine speculative add.

How Pack could replace Jake Ryan

Here are a few ways the Packers could replace Ryan in 2018:

Rookie LB Oren Burks

The next man up is the most obvious solution. The Packers took Burks, a converted safety from Vanderbilt, in the third round of the 2018 draft. It’s possible he’ll slide in next to Blake Martinez and give the Packers defense an athletic option for covering tight ends and running backs. Can he hold up against the run? There will be growing pains if Burks has to play extensively as a rookie. Rookie Greer Martini might get a look, too. The Notre Dame product has been running with the second-team defense at inside linebacker.

Sign a free agent

The Packers are so thin behind Ryan and Martinez that new GM Brian Gutekunst might have to dip back into the free agent market and find a veteran. Burks and undrafted free agents Greer Martini, Marcus Porter and Naashon Hughes are rookies, and Ahmad Thomas is another converted safety who has never played an NFL snap. Unless Burks blows up the rest of camp, it would be very difficult for the Packers to go into 2018 without adding some proven help. Veterans NaVorro Bowman and Brian Cushing are among the names still available.

More Clay Matthews at inside linebacker

The Packers were already planning to give Matthews some snaps at inside linebacker, so it’s possible Mike Pettine and Mike McCarthy will simply ask him to do more inside after losing Ryan. It would be a risky strategy – the Packers are equally thin on the edge – but Matthews is a proven commodity inside. He was excellent there for stretches in the past. In fact, his current skill set might be perfect for playing inside linebacker. It’d likely take a big camp from one of the young edge rushers – such as Kyler Fackrell, Vince Biegel or Reggie Gilbert – for the Packers to seriously consider a more full-time switch for Matthews inside.

More Josh Jones at inside linebacker

This would be an attractive option if Kentrell Brice hadn’t exited Monday’s practice on a cart. Jones played a bunch of snaps at inside linebacker in 2017 and thrived early in the season. The best game of his rookie season – a win over the Bengals at Lambeau Field in Week 3 – came when the Packers asked him to do almost everything at inside linebacker. Maybe the Packers are comfortable with a guy like Marwin Evans or Jermaine Whitehead (or even Quinten Rollins?) taking over snaps at safety, allowing Jones to slide into the box as a linebacker. Adding a free agent at safety like Eric Reid or Kenny Vacarro would serve the same purpose. The Packers have also tinkered with Rollins and Whitehead playing inside linebacker in subpackages early at camp, although neither would be expected to replace Ryan in the traditional 3-4.

Schematic changes

New Packers defensive coordinator Mike Pettine could consider scrapping most of the defense’s 3-4 looks on early downs and obvious run situations and play a more traditional four-man front. The Packers have the horses along the defensive line, Nick Perry is capable of playing on the end and Clay Matthews has roving ability as an off-the-ball linebacker. Luckily, the Packers defense plays far more snaps in the nickel than the traditional 3-4, so losing one starter at inside linebacker isn’t a scheme-shattering loss, even though Ryan has developed into a strong run stuffer. A few tweaks here and there could soften the blow.

 
Maybe not worth his own thread, but seems like a great dynasty scoop if he's available.

I liked his opportunity and profile before the Jake Ryan knee injury today, but if he's available in any deep leagues, and you can get him, seems like a fine speculative add.

How Pack could replace Jake Ryan


Grabbed him in every league I’m in. I don’t wish injury for anyone but hard to not be excited for Burks opportunity here.
have three 16 team, full IDP rookie drafts coming up - where would you guys target him? Thanks.

 
have three 16 team, full IDP rookie drafts coming up - where would you guys target him? Thanks.
I don’t know how IDP’s are drafted in your league but I think once Roquan, Edmunds, Vander Esch and Evans are off the board you have to start considering Burks next. There is still no guarantee of a 3-down role but there is high level athleticism and opportunity right now. 

 
The only thing slowing me down is how small he looks.  NFL Network does an Inside Training Camp series where they broadcast from different teams' facilities and they have been at the Packers' camp this week.  He is really skinny and looks downright petite.  Makes me wonder how well he'll be able to anchor.  He's listed on MFL at 233 but sure doesn't look it.

 
I drafted this guy in the 4th round of my rookie draft as a taxi stash just because of his hybrid/new breed LB type profile, the reasonable draft capital spent on him, and the opportunity in the GB defense. They clearly drafted him (higher than expected I think) with a purpose.  Even with Ryan out, I wouldn't have huge expectations year one (I don't think he's as ready to step in as Fred Warner by comparison), as I don't think he'll play every down and they may still rotate Josh Jones in at LB, but he's definitely intriguing. If he has a couple of strong preseason games his value will really rise. 

I'd put him slightly below Leonard/Warner but having said that, you might have to reach now if you want him.

 
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The Titans are always rumored to draft "local" talent and I expected this one to be true. I really liked him on tape and the Cunningham versus Burks discussions were interesting. 

 
The only thing slowing me down is how small he looks.  NFL Network does an Inside Training Camp series where they broadcast from different teams' facilities and they have been at the Packers' camp this week.  He is really skinny and looks downright petite.  Makes me wonder how well he'll be able to anchor.  He's listed on MFL at 233 but sure doesn't look it.
Telvin Smith was 220 entering the league. I wouldn’t overthink it.

 
Telvin Smith was 220 entering the league. I wouldn’t overthink it.
I wouldn't characterize "the only thing slowing me down is" as overthinking anything.  My only point is that he's not very big so it's gonna take something more to be able to hang.  If he can get it done that's great, but he's not playing WILL in a 4-3, he's gonna be banging inside a lot more than that.  If he's a special enough athlete to handle that he'll get by, but is he? 

 
I wouldn't characterize "the only thing slowing me down is" as overthinking anything.  My only point is that he's not very big so it's gonna take something more to be able to hang.  If he can get it done that's great, but he's not playing WILL in a 4-3, he's gonna be banging inside a lot more than that.  If he's a special enough athlete to handle that he'll get by, but is he? 
I think he is: https://www.playerprofiler.com/nfl/oren-burks/

 
I wouldn't characterize "the only thing slowing me down is" as overthinking anything.  My only point is that he's not very big so it's gonna take something more to be able to hang.  If he can get it done that's great, but he's not playing WILL in a 4-3, he's gonna be banging inside a lot more than that.  If he's a special enough athlete to handle that he'll get by, but is he? 
We've been discussing size since Jimmy Johnson and Bill Parcells coached the Cowboys and there's been a truckload of players since. We've also had our share of safeties play near the LOS that aren't big enough but Polamalu and Reed sure got the job done. Thomas Davis playing LB too. I think your words and concern work for Jayon Brown. He can't shed blocks and has issues that are identical to him in college. Burks plays like he is very well trained and as tough as necessary. It's possible his speed is fantastic for the outside game but his size makes him weaker against the run and maybe the back gets an extra half yard against him but cmon, you don't care too much about the RB stats for IDP. If he gets a tackle, he gets a tackle.

I think the best way for you to think of Burks is watch preseason (and maybe college tape if there isn't enough given in preseason) and think of other smallish LBs and ask yourself how he compares. 

I love the guy and I did Cunningham too. I am already curious if Vanderbilt can produce another quality backer next year. They seem very well trained and I probably need to give their DC or LB coach a ton of credit. They're more ready for the NFL than most 

 
We've been discussing size since Jimmy Johnson and Bill Parcells coached the Cowboys and there's been a truckload of players since. We've also had our share of safeties play near the LOS that aren't big enough but Polamalu and Reed sure got the job done. Thomas Davis playing LB too. I think your words and concern work for Jayon Brown. He can't shed blocks and has issues that are identical to him in college. Burks plays like he is very well trained and as tough as necessary. It's possible his speed is fantastic for the outside game but his size makes him weaker against the run and maybe the back gets an extra half yard against him but cmon, you don't care too much about the RB stats for IDP. If he gets a tackle, he gets a tackle.

I think the best way for you to think of Burks is watch preseason (and maybe college tape if there isn't enough given in preseason) and think of other smallish LBs and ask yourself how he compares. 

I love the guy and I did Cunningham too. I am already curious if Vanderbilt can produce another quality backer next year. They seem very well trained and I probably need to give their DC or LB coach a ton of credit. They're more ready for the NFL than most 
He doesn't look to compare at all.  Slow reactions, got blocked all day long, ran right into blockers more often than not.  Didn't look fast, definitely didn't look strong.  It was only first quarter so perhaps a sample size issue but guys like Telvin and Shazier popped off the screen with their athleticism.  Burks did not.  He was late getting to his coverages on the RB's and racked up a bunch of tackles on guys that were wide open when the ball got there.  That's kind of a recipe for fantasy scoring if they don't replace him, but it's also a risk he may have trouble getting snaps.

He's probably worth the price of his ADP because why not at that point of the draft (he went in the late 40's - 50's in my leagues) to see how he develops but I am much happier about targeting Jaylen Samuels and Daurice Fountain instead.

 
He doesn't look to compare at all.  Slow reactions, got blocked all day long, ran right into blockers more often than not.  Didn't look fast, definitely didn't look strong.  It was only first quarter so perhaps a sample size issue but guys like Telvin and Shazier popped off the screen with their athleticism.  Burks did not.  He was late getting to his coverages on the RB's and racked up a bunch of tackles on guys that were wide open when the ball got there.  That's kind of a recipe for fantasy scoring if they don't replace him, but it's also a risk he may have trouble getting snaps.

He's probably worth the price of his ADP because why not at that point of the draft (he went in the late 40's - 50's in my leagues) to see how he develops but I am much happier about targeting Jaylen Samuels and Daurice Fountain instead.
I tend to agree - I was eager to watch after seeing the boxscore, but I saw him getting blocked a lot and maybe there's going to be some transition because ILB is new to him I believe. Still, he has coverage skills and that might keep him on the field. All in all, I was a bit disappointed in terms of the 'eye test', but it's just part of one game, he has opportunity, and he can improve. What matters is what the Packers think of him. 

 
Keep in mind that Tremaine Edmunds looked pretty bad in his first preseason game too, so, not sure how much stock to put in the first preseason game action just yet

 
I tend to agree - I was eager to watch after seeing the boxscore, but I saw him getting blocked a lot and maybe there's going to be some transition because ILB is new to him I believe. Still, he has coverage skills and that might keep him on the field. All in all, I was a bit disappointed in terms of the 'eye test', but it's just part of one game, he has opportunity, and he can improve. What matters is what the Packers think of him. 
I almost fell out of my chair when I saw the box score, I had to go back and look at the play-by-play.  The assist was 30 yards downfield on that first blown coverage (probably not his) and two of those solos were back to back plays where he wasn't anywhere near the RB and took a late/bad angle on Wadley's that Wadley converted 4th-and-7 on.

Yes, it's one game, and I wouldn't be cutting him based on it, but man I'm glad I focused on guys like Jaylen Samuels and Daurie Fountain in that part of drafts.

 

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