Burks is more than a special team LB

[Luvnit2]

I just read this and learned a lot abour new LB Owen Burks. Heis not just good, but very good against the run. Bengals appear by moves to being fixing our pourous run defense. It will be intersting to see if Pratt is traded at some point or if Burks will be competing with him for starting position. Burks and Pratt appear to be 2 down LBers so we still need a LB for 3rd down it appears.
https://www.bengals.com/news/5-things-to-know-about-new-bengal-oren-burks

Not only does Burks have vast experience in the postseason, he rises to the occasion. He tallied 25 tackles in four postseason games last season with the Eagles, including nine in the Divisional Round against Offensive Rookie of the Year Jayden Daniels and the Commanders.

Burks was drafted in the third round by the Green Bay Packers out of Vanderbilt in the 2018 NFL Draft.

The Bengals made a clear emphasis on shoring up the team's run defense this offseason between the additions of Burks and T.J. Slaton Jr. Burks recorded an 86.8 PFF run-defense grade last season, ranking 11th among all linebackers

I think we all have a tendacy to dismiss players signed to smaller contracts. The LB market has always been underpaid and also draft status is lower. Is a 3rd round LB the equivelent of a 2nd round CB for example? Maybe.

I hope Burks has an awesome year. It appears Bengals to have a defensive plan, it is to first to fix the run.

[lone bengal]

I think it was a solid signing he’s basically been a backup his whole career with some spot starts with the Packers and Niners. Started 3 games for SF in 2022. The best he played was this recent playoff run with Philly. Let’s also keep in mind he didn’t start till week 17 with Philly so it’s a smaller sample size for his ratings. Another thing to keep in mind you go from playing in front of that defensive line to this one. He’s also 30 so I’m not expecting him to be a player on the rise. Overall solid signing depth LB with ability to start I’m hoping he can just be solid.

[FormerlyBengalRugby]

My guess is he is the fallback option for the viper position, having played safety for some time in college. I am guessing the Bengals will draft their true candidate for the position, and Burks is depth, and the worst case scenario for the Bengals.

[SunsetBengal]

The more that I learn about the "bargain" signings the Bengals made, the more I'm seeing the tremendous value in their traits to the respective schemes.

[sandwedge]

I do like the fact that they recognized that opponents gaining 8 yds on first down running the ball was detrimental to D's play calling on 2nd down. They did a great job of getting FAs that are better in run defense.

[jj22]

Burks is a ADG replacement. If you can keep it in that perspective I’m sure the signing will work out.

[Isaac Curtis: The Real #85]

Burks' PFF grades/ranks:

Regular: # snaps, Overall (Rk), Run D (rk), Coverage (Rk)
147 (113/189): 83.0 (13/189), 86.8 (11/189), 70.0 (23/189)
230 (2/53); 80.7 (5/53); 58.5 (32/53), 82.9 (2/53)

His grades flipped in the post, better in coverage. And the coverage grade was more consistent.

[Housh]

I hope so cause we don’t really need 3 Fred Warners at LB

You just need 1 Logan Wilson and then 2 guys that can do their job in the gaps and you’ll be able to stop the run

I actually think our secondary is good so we get that front 7 loaded with SMART and physically capable guys they don’t even have to be pro bowl level. Just have a low missed tackle rate behind our new GREAT nose tackle and the D will trend back upwards

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

(03-29-2025, 03:06 PM)Luvnit2 Wrote: I just read this and learned a lot abour new LB Owen Burks. Heis not just good, but very good against the run. Bengals appear by moves to being fixing our pourous run defense. It will be intersting to see if Pratt is traded at some point or if Burks will be competing with him for  starting position. Burks and Pratt appear to be 2 down LBers so we still need a LB for 3rd down it appears.
https://www.bengals.com/news/5-things-to-know-about-new-bengal-oren-burks

Not only does Burks have vast experience in the postseason, he rises to the occasion. He tallied 25 tackles in four postseason games last season with the Eagles, including nine in the Divisional Round against Offensive Rookie of the Year Jayden Daniels and the Commanders.

Burks was drafted in the third round by the Green Bay Packers out of Vanderbilt in the 2018 NFL Draft.

The Bengals made a clear emphasis on shoring up the team's run defense this offseason between the additions of Burks and T.J. Slaton Jr. Burks recorded an 86.8 PFF run-defense grade last season, ranking 11th among all linebackers

I think we all have a tendacy to dismiss players signed to smaller contracts. The LB market has always been underpaid and also draft status is lower. Is a 3rd round LB the equivelent of a 2nd round CB for example? Maybe.

I hope Burks has an awesome year. It appears Bengals to have a defensive plan, it is to first to fix the run.

Oren Burkes has been behind some damn good Linebackers wherever he has went. About the best LB cores in the NFL.

He really hasn't had that many chances to show what he can do until late last season and he looked really good to me on the Eagles
SB run. Like the PFF rating shows, he is damn good against the run, unlike Pratt and is better in coverage than Pratt from what I saw.

Burkes was a nice grab and he can rush the passer better than Pratt as well.

[Housh]

(03-29-2025, 04:01 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: The more that I learn about the "bargain" signings the Bengals made, the more I'm seeing the tremendous value in their traits to the respective schemes.

Only issue with Slayton is i could see teams checking to a pass a lot when he’s in. He’s really only able to play on 1st and 2nd down

I wish we had more players who were more than specific package guys. Like last year Vonn Bell probably never should’ve been in on 3rd down. Tycen Anderson probably should’ve got more snaps there but it is what it was

[SunsetBengal]

(03-30-2025, 02:08 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Oren Burkes has been behind some damn good Linebackers wherever he has went. About the best LB cores in the NFL.

He really hasn't had that many chances to show what he can do until late last season and he looked really good to me on the Eagles
SB run. Like the PFF rating shows, he is damn good against the run, unlike Pratt and is better in coverage than Pratt from what I saw.

Burkes was a nice grab and he can rush the passer better than Pratt as well.

It'll be interesting to see how he adapts to playing on a defense that is trying to get it together, rather than one that operates like a well oiled machine. I like his chances.

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

(03-30-2025, 02:10 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: It'll be interesting to see how he adapts to playing on a defense that is trying to get it together, rather than one that operates like a well oiled machine. I like his chances.

Yep, this is his chance. Those LB cores were stacked that Burkes was on. Logan Wilson is the only for sure starter and he is injured a lot. 

Pratt I think will be traded or be relegated to 2 downs at most. Like always, I just hope they start the best players, no favoritism.

[BenZoo2]

(03-29-2025, 03:06 PM)Luvnit2 Wrote: I just read this and learned a lot abour new LB Owen Burks. Heis not just good, but very good against the run. Bengals appear by moves to being fixing our pourous run defense. It will be intersting to see if Pratt is traded at some point or if Burks will be competing with him for  starting position. Burks and Pratt appear to be 2 down LBers so we still need a LB for 3rd down it appears.
https://www.bengals.com/news/5-things-to-know-about-new-bengal-oren-burks

Not only does Burks have vast experience in the postseason, he rises to the occasion. He tallied 25 tackles in four postseason games last season with the Eagles, including nine in the Divisional Round against Offensive Rookie of the Year Jayden Daniels and the Commanders.

Burks was drafted in the third round by the Green Bay Packers out of Vanderbilt in the 2018 NFL Draft.

The Bengals made a clear emphasis on shoring up the team's run defense this offseason between the additions of Burks and T.J. Slaton Jr. Burks recorded an 86.8 PFF run-defense grade last season, ranking 11th among all linebackers

I think we all have a tendacy to dismiss players signed to smaller contracts. The LB market has always been underpaid and also draft status is lower. Is a 3rd round LB the equivelent of a 2nd round CB for example? Maybe.

I hope Burks has an awesome year. It appears Bengals to have a defensive plan, it is to first to fix the run.

seems I read somewhere, maybe even on this board, that Burks has a pretty high tackle rate

[higgy100]

(03-30-2025, 02:10 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: It'll be interesting to see how he adapts to playing on a defense that is trying to get it together, rather than one that operates like a well oiled machine. I like his chances.

True but they weren't such a good defense in 2023-2024, at least the last half of the year as they were middle of the pack, and pretty much couldn't stop anybody during their slide BUT they brought in a great DC in Fangio. Maybe a guy like Golden can do something similar?

[SunsetBengal]

(Yesterday, 12:43 PM)higgy100 Wrote: True but they weren't such a good defense in 2023-2024, at least the last half of the year as they were middle of the pack, and pretty much couldn't stop anybody during their slide BUT they brought in a great DC in Fangio. Maybe a guy like Golden can do something similar?

I'm at least hoping that fresh leadership on the defensive side leads to some breakout seasons for a few Bengal defenders.