According to Dianna Russini, of The Athletic, former San Francisco 49ers linebacker Oren Burks is signing a one-year deal with the Philadelphia Eagles worth up to $2.5M. The Eagles continue their solid offseason, and the 49ers lose another free agent. This time, the team loses one of their top special teams players, and their number-three linebacker.
Former 49ers LB Oren Burks is signing a 1-year deal with the Philadelphia Eagles worth up to $2.5M, per source.
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) March 16, 2024
Burks is a special teams standout who started 5 games in 2023 for SF.
The Green Bay Packers made Burks (6-3, 233) a third-round selection (No. 88 overall) out of Vanderbilt in 2018. He registered 46 tackles, three tackles for a loss, a quarterback hit, a sack, a pass defensed, and an interception through 15 game appearances (five starts) with San Francisco this past season, per Pro Football Reference.
Burks, 28, has recorded 176 tackles, six tackles for a loss, four quarterback hits, two sacks, two passes defensed, an interception, and two forced fumbles in 91 game appearances (15 starts) through his six NFL seasons.
Burks is one of the league's best special teams players. In 2022, Burks joined the 49ers and helped improve a special teams unit that ranked near the bottom in 2021. In 2023, Burks played more snaps on defense this season, including taking over for an injured Dre Greenlaw in Super Bowl LVIII.
The 49ers will now look to replace Burks, either with a player already on the roster or through free agency or the draft. The 49ers are re-signing LB Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles, and drafted two linebackers, Dee Winters and Jalen Graham, in 2023.