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Burnett has inside track on linebacker slot
By Kevin Acee
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Kevin Burnett spent the past two seasons in Wade Phillips' defense, starting only four times but playing at least half the snaps most games.
Considered a fine athlete, Burnett was seen as a specialist of sorts, a good linebacker in coverage. His potential was intriguing to about a half-dozen teams in need of an inside linebacker.
He left the Dallas Cowboys and joins the Chargers, hoping to unleash the player he believes has been bottled.
“I didn't get a chance to showcase my skills,” Burnett said yesterday. “ I can't really describe my strengths and weaknesses. I haven't had a whole lot of opportunities to go out and play. I know when you get out there, you make them call your name.”
Burnett, who this week signed a two-year, $5.5 million contract, has played the “Mo” (the weakside inside linebacker spot) in the defense that Phillips, the Cowboys head coach, installed in San Diego when he was defensive coordinator and in Dallas. Burnett is expected to take over that spot here, though he will have competition from incumbents Matt Wilhelm and Tim Dobbins.
“He played a very good role there,” defensive coordinator Ron Rivera said of Burnett. “He'll have a solid opportunity to contribute here. That's what I'd like to find out – if the guys we have here can be that every-down player. We're going to have some great competition.”
Said Burnett: “Anywhere you go it's open competition. I'm looking at being a player. I came here for the opportunity to play, and that's all I can ask for. Your play speaks louder than anything.”
Burnett (6-feet-3, 242 pounds) was Dallas' second-round pick in 2005. He visited Oakland before seeing the Chargers last week and Houston afterward.
“This was the best place for me,” he said. Burnett was clearly pleased to be with his new team, though in his opening remarks he referred to being happy to join the Dallas Cowboys. :laugh2:
The addition of Burnett decreases the likelihood the Chargers will draft a linebacker with the 16th overall pick. However, many teams in front of them have similar needs, and the Chargers might be left looking at the best player available being an inside 'backer.
The Chargers have faced 2,872 passes since 2004, about 300 more than the NFL mean. They can use an inside linebacker with an ability to drop back as well as stop the run.
“It's all going to boil down to us being able to stop the run,” Burnett said. “ ... Coming here I knew wouldn't be a hard transition or major change, having been in the system for two years.”
http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/2009/mar/12/chargerslb181356-burnett/?chargers
By Kevin Acee
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Kevin Burnett spent the past two seasons in Wade Phillips' defense, starting only four times but playing at least half the snaps most games.
Considered a fine athlete, Burnett was seen as a specialist of sorts, a good linebacker in coverage. His potential was intriguing to about a half-dozen teams in need of an inside linebacker.
He left the Dallas Cowboys and joins the Chargers, hoping to unleash the player he believes has been bottled.
“I didn't get a chance to showcase my skills,” Burnett said yesterday. “ I can't really describe my strengths and weaknesses. I haven't had a whole lot of opportunities to go out and play. I know when you get out there, you make them call your name.”
Burnett, who this week signed a two-year, $5.5 million contract, has played the “Mo” (the weakside inside linebacker spot) in the defense that Phillips, the Cowboys head coach, installed in San Diego when he was defensive coordinator and in Dallas. Burnett is expected to take over that spot here, though he will have competition from incumbents Matt Wilhelm and Tim Dobbins.
“He played a very good role there,” defensive coordinator Ron Rivera said of Burnett. “He'll have a solid opportunity to contribute here. That's what I'd like to find out – if the guys we have here can be that every-down player. We're going to have some great competition.”
Said Burnett: “Anywhere you go it's open competition. I'm looking at being a player. I came here for the opportunity to play, and that's all I can ask for. Your play speaks louder than anything.”
Burnett (6-feet-3, 242 pounds) was Dallas' second-round pick in 2005. He visited Oakland before seeing the Chargers last week and Houston afterward.
“This was the best place for me,” he said. Burnett was clearly pleased to be with his new team, though in his opening remarks he referred to being happy to join the Dallas Cowboys. :laugh2:
The addition of Burnett decreases the likelihood the Chargers will draft a linebacker with the 16th overall pick. However, many teams in front of them have similar needs, and the Chargers might be left looking at the best player available being an inside 'backer.
The Chargers have faced 2,872 passes since 2004, about 300 more than the NFL mean. They can use an inside linebacker with an ability to drop back as well as stop the run.
“It's all going to boil down to us being able to stop the run,” Burnett said. “ ... Coming here I knew wouldn't be a hard transition or major change, having been in the system for two years.”
http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/2009/mar/12/chargerslb181356-burnett/?chargers
