Ethan Burke was a preseason star. He was so good that the Baltimore Ravens simply had to keep him on their 53-man roster. Tough cuts were made, but Burke won the battle.
The war’s not over, though
There’s still plenty for Burke to prove. The Texas product earned his spot in every way imaginable—he was on a different level throughout preseason. However, he’s right back to square one as Baltimore turns their attention toward the regular season.
Burke knows that. Proving yourself in preseason is one thing, but doing it in the regular season is a much, much taller task. On Monday, Burke spoke about his mindset moving forward.
“For me, I didn’t want anything to change. Still have a chip on my shoulder,” Burke said. “Continue to do my routine…workout just as hard, practice just as hard, be just as attentive in meetings. Almost like nothing’s changed and continue to fight to be here.”
That’s a winning approach right there.
Ethan Burke is out to prove he deserves to stick on Baltimore Ravens roster
You can’t get complacent in the NFL, especially when you’re an undrafted rookie like Ethan Burke. While it’s an awesome story to see him make the team he was a fan of growing up, it’s time for business.
As the fifth pass rusher on Baltimore’s depth chart, Burke probably won’t see ample opportunities with the defense. Not out of the gate anyway. He’s set to make that slow, agonizing climb into the rotation. It’s one Burke is ready for, though.
It all starts on special teams. That’s pretty much ground zero for undrafted guys like Burke. And given Burke’s attitude, it shouldn’t be a shock that he dominates in that area.
Burke blocked three kicks throughout his career with the Texas Longhorns and was a mainstay on coverage units, using his relentless motor to chase down returners. That’s showing up in the pros, too.
Realistically, it may not be too long before Burke finds his way into Jesse Minter’s rotation either. He has a long way to go, but he proved he can impact the game in every way imaginable. His will to win was on full display in those three games.
Outside of special teams, Burke was a pain to deal with in preseason. He was an annoying presence coming off the edge and a factor in the run game, but it went beyond that. He would relentlessly punch at the football and always got his hands up when the quarterback released the ball. That led to two forced fumbles and two passes defended in preseason action.
Those efforts can quickly lead to turnovers if luck rolls your way, and that energy from Burke is truly a game-changer.
There’s still a lot of development for Burke to do. He needs to carve out more consistent wins as a pass rusher if he wants a spot on Minter’s defense.
Given his mentality and Minter’s ability to get the most out of his players, though, Burke is in a terrific position to be a factor in Baltimore for years to come.
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