Green Bay Packers linebacker Oren Burks spent the offseason rebuilding his press strength and adding weight in an effort to overcome two injury-wrecked seasons and become a contributor for Mike Pettine’s defense in 2020.
According to ESPN’s Rob Demovsky, Burks couldn’t even bench press 135 pounds – the equivalent of a standard barbell and a 45-pound plate on each side – after injuring his pectoral muscle during the preseason last August. Burks avoided surgery and still ended up playing in 12 games, almost exclusively on special teams, but he lacked the basic pressing strength of most high school athletes.
With the help of trainer Josh Cuthbert in Nashville, Burks bumped his bench press number back up to 325 pounds this summer and arrived at training camp weighing in the mid-240s without losing any of his elite athleticism or explosiveness.
According to Cuthbert, Burks added roughly 12 pounds of muscle during his program.
It’s paying off early on. Burks has been running alongside veteran addition Christian Kirksey as a starter at inside linebacker to begin camp. There’s a real opportunity for Burks – who has lost starting jobs each of the last two summers due to major injuries – to lock down an important role within Pettine’s defense during camp. At the very least, he must be considered the favorite to be the No. 2 linebacker, just as long as he avoids an injury before the Packers take on the Minnesota Vikings on Sept. 13.
Burks told Demovsky that he “can’t even put into words how excited” he is to get back on the field and begin showing what he can do now that he’s healthy again and rebuilt physically.
“I’m a way smarter player, way more instinctive player, stronger, faster,” Burks said. “This the best I’ve felt in a very long time, so it’s all boiling up to this point where I can just have a great year and lead this team to a Super Bowl. I know that I can add value in so many areas, so I’m excited to showcase my talent.”
Through his first two seasons, Burks – the Packers’ third-round pick in 2018 – has played only 179 total snaps on defense, although he’s been a mainstay on special teams. Last year’s No. 2 linebacker, B.J. Goodson, played 254 snaps, or roughly 25 percent of the defense’s total in 2019.
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