There isn’t much doubt that the story of this year’s Green Bay Packers training camp will be quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Will he or won’t he show up will grab all of the headlines. The Rodgers drama will be must-see TV. However, for several players, this year’s training camp will determine their futures with the Packers. Oren Burks and Josh Jackson could be entering their last training camp as Packers.
Oren Burks and Josh Jackson Running Out of Chances
In our first of three installments, we take a look at possible Packers who need to shine in training camp to keep their roster spots.
Brian Gutekunst’s first draft as the general manager was in 2018. In the first round of that draft, he selected cornerback Jaire Alexander. The selection of Alexander could go down as possibly the best pick that Gutekunst has made so far as the Packers general manager. Alexander has become one of the best cover cornerbacks in the NFL. He has become the foundation of the Packers secondary.
As much as the Alexander pick could turn out to be Gutekunst’s best, the following two players he selected could turn out to be his worse. In the second round of that draft, Gutekunst selected cornerback Josh Jackson. In the following round, Gutekunst selected inside linebacker Oren Burks. Both have underachieved and could be labeled as busts.
Entering this year’s training camp, Oren Burks and Josh Jackson will be fighting for a roster spot. If they fail to shine, both might be looking for a new employer.
Oren Burks Still Searching for His Place on the Packers
The Packers have been in search of a playmaker at inside linebacker for the past several years. When Gutekunst selected Oren Burks with the 88th overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft, he was hoping Burks would be that type of player. Unfortunately, that hasn’t been the case.
While at Vanderbilt University, Burks played a hybrid safety/linebacker position. It was the same position that the Packers envisioned he would play in their defense. Blessed with linebacker size and the ability to run as fast as some NFL safeties, on paper, he seemed like a perfect match for the position. But Burks hasn’t been able to win the position.
In recent years, with Burks failing to win the position, the Packers have played Raven Greene (now departed) and Will Redmond at the position. He hasn’t had much luck either winning a standard linebacker spot. Last season, Burks found himself behind undrafted free agent Krys Barnes and 2020 fifth round Kamal Martin.
Things got so bad, for Burks at inside linebacker, the Packers shifted him to outside linebacker. It was a short-lived experiment, with Burks now back at inside linebacker. Burks will be starting from scratch in 2021. Former defensive coordinator Mike Pettine has been replaced by Joe Barry, giving Burks a fresh start.
Even with a new coordinator, it will be a tough battle for Burks. Barnes and Martin both showed some promise in 2020. Along with that, this off-season, the Packers added free agent De’Vondre Campbell and selected inside linebacker Isaiah McDuffie in the sixth round. It very well could come down to Burks and McDuffie for the last inside linebacker spot.
Eric Stokes Selection Might have Sealed Josh Jackson’s Fate
Many Packers fans cringed when news broke that the Packers had re-signed Kevin King this off-season. King has drawn the ire of many Packers fans. It wasn’t just his poor play in the 2020 NFC Championship that created their displeasure either. King’s inability to stay healthy and stay on the field has also played a big part in Packers fans dislike of the cornerback.
The return of King might not have happened if not for Josh Jackson’s inability to take advantage of the opportunities he has been granted. When Gutekunst selected Jackson in the second round in 2018, many believed it was a steal. Jackson was a playmaker at the University of Iowa in his final season. With Alexander selected in the first round and Jackson in the second, many thought the duo would be the future at the cornerback positions for the Packers.
While Alexander’s career took off, Jackson’s stalled. Jackson started 10 games his rookie season. But since then, he has only started five games since, all coming in 2020. Even with King frequently out of the starting lineup with an injury, Jackson hasn’t taken advantage of the opportunity. Things got so bad in 2020, Jackson found himself as a healthy scratch several times throughout the season.
In this year’s NFL draft, Gutekunst selected cornerback Eric Stokes with the Packers first-round pick. It can be argued that the Stokes selection might not have happened if Jackson had shown any type of promise in his first three years. But Jackson failed to shine and with that, the Packers selected Stokes who are hoping he can be the cornerback Jackson has failed to be.
With the arrival of Stokes and King returning, Jackson’s days as a Packer are starting to look numbered. Unless Jackson has an extraordinary camp, the chances seem slim that he will return. Even if he does have a strong camp, it might not be enough.
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