Burks returns, but who knows when (or if) he’ll be a factor

After making almost no contribution as a rookie, he missed more than 50 days with a partially torn pectoral.

Help could be on the way for a Green Bay Packers defense that has lived by the big plays it’s created but died by the big plays it’s allowed.

Second-year inside linebacker Oren Burks, who suffered a partially torn pectoral during the sixth snap of the preseason game against Houston on Aug. 8, returned to practice on Monday. While Burks called this step “huge,” it’s perhaps only the second-largest milestone in Burks’ comeback, with the first being that he escaped season-ending surgery.

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“I felt pretty good,” Burks said after practice. “I did mostly pass stuff and indy (individual drills). It’s progressed well, so we’ll see how it feels on Wednesday and go from there.”

While Burks’ return could provide a big lift for a defense that has leaned heavily on six-defensive back packages – linebacker B.J. Goodson played only seven of 61 snaps on Thursday even though the Packers were getting run over the Eagles – his impact is hardly a sure thing. A third-round pick last year, the start of Burks’ rookie season was derailed by a shoulder injury that kept him out for the first two games of the regular season. He played 81 snaps in his first four games but just 18 snaps in the final eight.

First-year inside linebackers coach Kirk Olivadotti spent the offseason and start of training camp working on Burks’ vision in an attempt to maximize Burks’ obvious athletic gifts. The injury, however, was a major setback to his development.

“The last one was about four weeks, so it’s a couple weeks on top of that,” Burks said. “Mentally, it’s trying to get the awareness back and being around the guys. It’s small things that add up to playing well. That’s what I’m trying to get back now.”

Assuming Burks doesn’t have any setbacks, he figures to be back on the practice field on Wednesday and then participate in Thursday’s padded practice. That, obviously, will be a big day for Burks to test his strength and pain threshold. It will be those two things that determine when Burks will be ready to play.

“Just the strength piece” is the next hurdle, he said. “It’s slowly getting there but I still don’t have that same pop that I would have had before. Just taking it one day at a time and I feel like it’s getting a lot better.”

Burks wore a harness at practice to restrict movement and will continue to do so whenever he starts playing in games. When he’ll start playing in games is anyone’s guess. Having been sidelined for 53 days, Burks has a lot of rust to shake off. How long will it take for him to start playing to his level of expectation?

“No idea, man,” he said. “I’m just taking it one day at a time. I feel like I’m getting better but you just never know how long it’s going to take.”