Seahawks turn to Marcus Burley at nickelback
In every game, at every level he has played, Marcus Burley’s expectation has been the same.
“You always have to go out there and every play think that the ball is coming to you,” said Burley, a Seahawks cornerback.
That could be truer than ever today when the Seahawks play the San Diego Chargers in a 1:05 p.m. game at Qualcomm Stadium.
The Seahawks enter the game off a 36-16 win over the Green Bay Packers a week ago Thursday that reinforced their standing as a team that might have the best chance of repeating as Super Bowl champions since the 2004 New England Patriots.
About the only reason for worry as Seattle left CenturyLink Field that night was the status of the nickelback spot – a fifth defensive back who comes in for obvious passing situations – with Jeremy Lane leaving in the third quarter with a groin injury.
That’s where Burley enters the story.
Burley, who had been with the team for just five days after being acquired in a trade on Aug. 30 from Indianapolis for a sixth-round draft pick in 2015, played the final 25 snaps of his first NFL game in relief of Lane.
A few days later, the team placed Lane on injured reserve with a designation to return. That means Lane can return in eight weeks.
It also means that, for now, Burley is the nickelback.
“We’re looking for Marcus to do a real nice job and take that spot over,” coach Pete Carroll said.
Burley, 24, was not drafted in 2013 after playing for FCS power Delaware.
The native of Richmond, Virginia, started 31 games for the Blue Hens, where his biggest honor was being named All-Colonial Athletic Association as a junior.
He possessed one trait that enticed NFL scouts, though.
“He had that one thing you can’t really coach or teach, which is speed,” said Henry Baker, Burley’s position coach at Delaware his last two years.
A 4.34 time in the 40 at his Pro Day got him on the NFL’s radar, and Burley last season had stints on practice squads with Jacksonville, Philadelphia and St. Louis.
Burley had a breakthrough in camp with the Colts, which led to the trade to the Seahawks, who were looking for options at nickelback behind Lane after failing to find any during their own training camp.
Seattle was in the nickel for 57 of 62 snaps against the Packers. The Seahawks might not go to the defense as often against San Diego, but Burley should still be tested plenty by the Chargers. They are led by veteran quarterback Philip Rivers, San Diego averaged 270 passing yards in 2013, fifth in the league.
The Chargers got off to a rough start Monday with an 18-17 loss at Arizona in which Rivers was just 21 of 36 for 238 yards.
As Carroll put it this week, Seattle is “challenged” in depth at the cornerback spot. Also out is Tharold Simon, sidelined at least another few weeks after having minor knee surgery.
So for now, the nickelback job is Burley’s.
“I feel like it’s a great opportunity,” he said. “I’ve just got to keep my head in the playbook and take full advantage of it.”