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Moving from the frozen tundra of Green Bay to the Bay Area would normally seem like a challenge, but for Oren Burks, it will quickly feel like home.
The former Packers special teams standout already is friends with two very important members of the 49ers roster -- Fred Warner and George Kittle. Their familiar faces, along with having played the 49ers a few times during his first four seasons, will help Burks transition.
“Me and Fred were in the same draft class,” Burks said on Thursday. “We went to the Senior Bowl and Combine all those good things. We kind of connected there and I just ran into him a couple of minutes ago.
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“Excited to get to work with him. He’s a great dude and he’s been a leader on this team for his whole career obviously and just excited to play next to him.”
During the offseason, Burks lives in Nashville, which is where he met Kittle. The 26-year old explained that NFL players who live in Music City run in the same circles so it was a natural progression to start working out with the 49ers All-Pro tight end.
Both Kittle and Burks train with Josh Cuthbert, as do several other NFL players including Charlie Woerner, Mike McGlinchey, Cincinnati Bengals receiver Trent Taylor, Detroit Lions tight end T.J. Hockenson, and Packers tight end Rob Tonyan.
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Through four seasons in Green Bay, Burks was seen predominantly on special teams. The linebacker was on the field for 1,175 special team snaps and only 480 on defense. The 6-foot-3, 233-pound defender calls himself a leader in that phase of the game and shared that he started to get noticed around the league for his abilities.
Burks desires to compete in all areas of the game and is willing to play wherever he is needed on defense.
“I was just looking for a good fit, a great city and a great organization,” Burks said. “I felt like the Niners fit all three of those things. I’m excited to get to work.”
Burks has the support of family members who live in the area, including his sister who resides in Palo Alto. As a native of Virginia, the linebacker is excited to live in a coastal city where seafood -- his favorite -- is plentiful.
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