Packers-Vikings Thursday Injury Report: Burks Full Participation

GREEN BAY, Wis. – With the Green Bay Packers practicing in pads, linebacker Oren Burks was full participation at Thursday’s practice.

With Kamal Martin on injured reserve, Burks figures to be the linebacker next to Christian Kirksey in Sunday’s season-opening game against Minnesota. Just how much Burks plays, however, remains to be seen, as defensive coordinator Mike Pettine said he might use a “committee” at the position.

This is a big season – and a big opportunity – for the 2018 third-round selection.

“Mentally is not an issue. He knows what we’re doing and understands it,” Pettine said on Thursday. “It’s the physical part. He’s had his setbacks. That’s well documented. We’re not going to ask one guy to have to do all of it. If it ends up being by committee, how we’ve done it through multiple personnel groupings, those guys are a big part of our special team group. We don’t want to have a big effect on that by having them play too much defense, so we're kind of in that job-sharing mode. OB’s going to be a big part of what we do.”

Burks, who was limited participation on Wednesday, has been a nonfactor in the fall and winter because of injuries sustained in the summer. As a rookie, he suffered a dislocated shoulder before a preseason game and missed the first two games. Then, in last year’s preseason opener, he sustained a torn pectoral muscle. While Burks avoided season-ending surgery, he missed the first month of the season.

Because of the injuries, he played 122 snaps and recorded 16 tackles as a rookie and 57 snaps with eight tackles last year. In 179 career defensive snaps, he has made zero impact plays.

Also of note, Billy Turner returned to practice for the first time since suffering a knee injury at practice almost two weeks ago. He was limited participation. So was safety Raven Greene, who if healthy would be part of the aforementioned linebacker committee.

Thursday’s Injury Report

Packers

DNP: OLB Randy Ramsey (groin), TE Marcedes Lewis (rest). Limited: DT Montravius Adams (toe), S Raven Greene (quad), G/T Billy Turner (knee). Full: ILB Oren Burks (groin).

Vikings

None.

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