Green Bay Packers linebacker Oren Burks told Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that he won’t need surgery on his injured pectoral muscle, making it possible he’ll play again during the 2019 season.
The initial diagnosis of a torn pectoral muscle likely would have required season-ending surgery.
Burks, a third-round pick in 2018 and the Packers’ likely starter next to Blake Martinez at inside linebacker, suffered the injury while attempting to tackle Houston Texans quarterback Joe Webb in the preseason opener last Thursday night at Lambeau Field.
General manager Brian Gutekunst expressed optimism regarding Burks’ injury during a press conference earlier Tuesday morning.
“We’re still working through the exact timeline with Oren,” Gutekunst said. “Hopefully this will be a short-term thing with Oren and we’ll get him back into the fold.”
Burks played in 14 games as a rookie, serving mostly on special teams. The expectation was that the former Vanderbilt star would take the second-year jump and give Mike Pettine’s defense another three-down linebacker to play alongside Martinez.
Those plans will have to wait, at least for the time being.
While Burks recovers, the Packers will lean on rookies Ty Summers and Curtis Bolton, who both impressed at times during the preseason opener.
The good news is that the Packers aren’t likely losing a defensive starter to a season-ending injury. Now, the waiting game begins.
