Burnett to have knee surgery

[Chocolate Lab]

How many first-round graded ILBs have there been in recent years? Many years, there isn't even a first round prospect at ILB period.

But I doubt many fans would gripe if we drafted a Patrick Willis level ILB in the 1st round.

Or Mayo...

You're right, I didn't mean it had to be a 1st... You can find good ILBs in the 2nd or 3rd.

 

[TNCowboy]

Or Mayo...

You're right, I didn't mean it had to be a 1st... You can find good ILBs in the 2nd or 3rd.

As a lifelong UTN fan, I was disappointed when Dallas took Burnett, and glad that the Pats took Mayo.

Mayo is a lot like Burnett - though a better specimen - in that he's a tremendously athletic, talented player who lacks instinct.

 

[theebs]

Nick eatman on the lunch break said there is a chance they could not keep burnett on the roster. That seems pretty outrageous to me.

 

[newlander]

That bears listening to theebs. Burnett is fragile and as Double Trouble very accurately points out: he lacks instinct.

 

[TNCowboy]

Nick eatman on the lunch break said there is a chance they could not keep burnett on the roster. That seems pretty outrageous to me.

That makes me think there's a chance it's serious. If he's really injured, and he's in the last year of his deal, there'd be no point in putting him on IR, unless you're doing it simply so you have a leg up on resigning him.

 

[CrazyCowboy]

Carp should take advantage.

 

[WoodysGirl]

I hope Kevin Burnett gets back quickly

1:12 PM Thu, Aug 14, 2008 | Permalink | Yahoo! Buzz
Jean-Jacques Taylor E-mail News tips

As a reporter, you enter most relationships with the attitude that players, coaches and front office types are assets - people that can help you do your job.

You don't get emotionally attached to your assets because you understand that one story they don't like - sometimes it's just a paragraph - can ruin the relationship.

Sometimes, though, you hit it off with player, coach or front office type and the relationship becomes more involved. You're not friends, but you're more than business associates.

Now, you would think that means you're easy on those people. Actually, it doesn't. If you have a good realtionship with someone, you can ask them anything - the harder, the better - and they will give you the truth because they trust you and they know you'll be fair with them whether they like the story or not.

That's a long way of saying, I'm closer to Kevin Burnett than most players.

I've always liked Burnett - even as a rookie - because he's an independent thinker with a high opinion of himself.

I like those kind of guys because they're never afraid to tell you what they think - publicly or privately. Some guys never reveal anything because they're always afraid the coach is going to cut them or put them in the doghouse.

What they fail to realize is that as long as they perform on the field, the coach will love them even if he hates them.

Burnett and I did a show together last year, so our families got to know each other.

My wife, Lorraine, spent time with his wife, Maia, during training camp, while we were each at practice. And I tease his sons - 3-year-old Kamurhan and 2-year-old Kevin III when I see them.

And he gives me son, A.J., a helicopter ride every time he sees him.

Burnett will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, so he prepared for this season even more diligently than last. We spent a lot of time talking about whether the Cowboys would re-sign him and if they didn't what kind of teams would covet him. We talked about what kind of money he might command.

That's why I hope he has a speedy recovery. This is a huge year for him and I'd hate to see it ruined because of injury, something that has plagued him virtually his entire career in Dallas.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

:violin:
And the part about preparing harder before a free agent year and discussing the money he'll make doesn't surprise me a bit.

 

[28 Joker]

As a lifelong UTN fan, I was disappointed when Dallas took Burnett, and glad that the Pats took Mayo.

Mayo is a lot like Burnett - though a better specimen - in that he's a tremendously athletic, talented player who lacks instinct.

Jerod Mayo, imo, is the best linebacker to ever come out of Tennessee. He led the SEC with 140 tackles last year as a junior. He doesn't have instincts, what? Are the Patriots going to take a player without instincts? The Patriots expect Mayo to get up to 250, and they want his power to play in there 2-gap defense. I'm not sure this is the best use of Mayo. Mayo would be a monster at 4-3 middle linebacker or in Phillps' defense.

1. Jerod Mayo
2. Al Wilson
3. Kevin Burnett

 

[sago1]

Burnett is supposedly good in pass coverage but couldn't even beat out Ayodele against the run--and Ayodele lost his job to the 35 year old Zack Thomas. Why big Burnett top money if he's not an every down ILB? I'm thinking we need focus in 09 draft on (in no particular order): WR, OT, OG/C & ILB. Good thing we've got 2 3rd round picks & I believe 2 4ths as well.

 

[silver]

say hello to #56 in pass coverage

 

[TNCowboy]

Jerod Mayo, imo, is the best linebacker to ever come out of Tennessee. He led the SEC with 140 tackles last year as a junior. He doesn't have instincts, what? Are the Patriots going to take a player without instincts? The Patriots expect Mayo to get up to 250, and they want his power to play in there 2-gap defense. I'm not sure this is the best use of Mayo. Mayo would be a monster at 4-3 middle linebacker or in Phillps' defense.

1. Jerod Mayo
2. Al Wilson
3. Kevin Burnett

Mayo's physically gifted, but he constantly overruns and misreads plays.

140 tackles is just a #. He had like 25 against KY in a game where the TN D couldn't stop anything. Bobby Carpenter had a bushel of tackles the other night and is getting ripped. That really doesn't prove anything.

Burnett was quick and could get sideline to sideline the way you want a linebacker to be able to. But at the slightest bit of misdirection or on a counter play, Burnett would misread or overrun the play time and again. Mayo was the same way.

And yes, a quick perusal of the Pat's choices the last several years shows that sometimes even they miss. I don't wish Mayo ill, but I'm glad he's not a Cowboy. (though I'd prefer him to Bennett right now)

 

[28 Joker]

Mayo's physically gifted, but he constantly overruns and misreads plays.

140 tackles is just a #. He had like 25 against KY in a game where the TN D couldn't stop anything. Bobby Carpenter had a bushel of tackles the other night and is getting ripped. That really doesn't prove anything.

Burnett was quick and could get sideline to sideline the way you want a linebacker to be able to. But at the slightest bit of misdirection or on a counter play, Burnett would misread or overrun the play time and again. Mayo was the same way.

And yes, a quick perusal of the Pat's choices the last several years shows that sometimes even they miss. I don't wish Mayo ill, but I'm glad he's not a Cowboy. (though I'd prefer him to Bennett right now)

I have to respectfully disagree with your opinion about Jerod Mayo. I've seen just about every game he has played.

Mayo was an AP and a Coaches choice 1st team All-SEC performer. Plus, Mayo was an All-American last year. I don't know how you can down play 140 tackles.

Mayo accumulated the most tackles by a Tennessee player since 1990 (a tie). It was Mayo's natural instincts, physical play in the box, speed, quickness, explosive burst, and hard film study that enabled him to make all those tackles.

140 tackes
79 solo
1.5 sacks
8.5 TFL
5 QB pressures
1 FF
1 INT for a TD

That is a great year (2007).


Peyton Manning, John Henderson, and Jamal Lewis have company now.

 

[Disturbed]

So far this offseason both Burnett and Carpenter have disappointed big time. Neither has stepped up to show that he can be a starter in the future....very disappointing after the past few years of development efforts.

If neither can really be counted on --- who do we have that logically could step up?

 

[jobberone]

We don't know what the problem is yet. Without actually knowing, I suspect he needs just a scope right now; ie, they are going to look around and see if there's a problem (??something on MRI non-diagnostic). An arthroscopy is not a nothing but its also not something to worry a lot about. There's the risk of anesthesia and a slight risk of infection but that's about it. If nothing is found then he should be back within 1-2 weeks at the most.

If they have to suture anything then we're looking at a longer recuperation but still should be around to start the season.

 

[tomson75]

Maualuga or Lauriniatis in April.

....unless Carpenter has a miraculous turn around. Despite his action during the preseason game, he still looked far too tentative for a NFL ILB...and I've been a supporter of his from the start. I liked Burnett too, but this is likely his last year here IMO.

 

[TNCowboy]

I have to respectfully disagree with your opinion about Jerod Mayo. I've seen just about every game he has played.

Mayo was an AP and a Coaches choice 1st team All-SEC performer. Plus, Mayo was an All-American last year. I don't know how you can down play 140 tackles.

Mayo accumulated the most tackles by a Tennessee player since 1990 (a tie). It was Mayo's natural instincts, physical play in the box, speed, quickness, explosive burst, and hard film study that enabled him to make all those tackles.

140 tackes
79 solo
1.5 sacks
8.5 TFL
5 QB pressures
1 FF
1 INT for a TD

That is a great year (2007).


Peyton Manning, John Henderson, and Jamal Lewis have company now.

I would argue it's his lack of instincts and football intelligence that severely limited what is an extraordinarily gifted athlete. Tackling someone after they've already made a first down or a big play is hardly an impact play. And I hardly give credence to the # of tackles when you consider how generously they're awarded.

What Mayo was best at was getting himself out of position. His great athleticism sometimes made up for it, but he's more Kevin Burnett than the guys you listed. He's nowhere near the company of Manning and Henderson.

 

[Disturbed]

Maualuga or Lauriniatis in April.

....unless Carpenter has a miraculous turn around. Despite his action during the preseason game, he still looked far too tentative for a NFL ILB...and I've been a supporter of his from the start. I liked Burnett too, but this is likely his last year here IMO.

May be the last year for both of them....sad really. I thought our LB core was a strength of the team, but no more. I hate to think that we need to continue to spend high draft picks on LB's.

 

[tomson75]

May be the last year for both of them....sad really. I thought our LB core was a strength of the team, but no more. I hate to think that we need to continue to spend high draft picks on LB's.

I'm still hoping for the best with Carpenter and Burnett, but if we don't see something better than what we saw last weekend, they've got to go. Luckily, if it comes to this, we're stacked with picks in next year's draft and will likely be able do grab a guy we want without sacrificing the rest of our picks. We'll see. Hopefully it won't come to that though.

 

[Disturbed]

I'm still hoping for the best with Carpenter and Burnett, but if we don't see something better than what we saw last weekend, they've got to go. Luckily, if it comes to this, we're stacked with picks in next year's draft and will likely be able do grab a guy we want without sacrificing the rest of our picks. We'll see. Hopefully it won't come to that though.

I agree. But I don't know that we can continue to spend 1st and 2nd round picks on LBs. There are other needs on the team... I would feel better this year if we had a younger backup QB and a real #2 WR. And a few of those picks probably need to be offensive lineman (train over the next few years to replace the guys there now).

We have a lot of picks -- may need to trade some away for future years picks...can't afford all of them in one year.