Nate the Great?

by Brock Huard

Explosive. Charming. Beat Up. Punt Return Playmaker. Nate Burleson has been all that in his 3 years with the Hawks, but is this the system, the fit, that may enable Nate to flourish. I will say this, outside of the punishment and force that Cory Redding has displayed in camp, Burleson is my second biggest surprise of the last 8 days. Friday night under the lights at Husky Stadium Burleson continued to run smoothly and efficiently while making some of his trademark explosive plays. For a guy not even one year removed from a torn ACL and knee reconstruction, I can’t tell you enough how well he is moving and cutting.

I have been around many athletes who have torn their ACL both collegiately and professionally (Edgerrin James with the Colts) that are not back to full strength in 20 months, let alone 11. Nate’s recovery is a testament to the surgeons, a first class training room and staff, and Nate’s commitment and discipline through the off-season. He has not had any knee swelling, he has not taken any reps off, and this system, which as he told us this week, provides for a little more balance between timing routes and deeper routes should play into Nate’s skill set. By that I mean his ability to play in space, as he has shown in his special team’s success in the return game. Corner routes, deep over routes, seams and digs are a better fit for Nate than a square out, quick slant or 12 yard hook. Not that he can’t run the latter, but roaming in and out of zones and deeper developing routes that allow for some freedom in space and release really should allow Burleson to best his Seahawk season high of 50 rec/694 yds. and 9 TD’s, set in 2007.

On a day that saw Cory Redding out with a sore knee, Chris Spencer carted off with an ankle injury, no Curry, Walter Jones or Marcus Trufant, it was nice to see one of those vets who ended last year with a devastating knee injury making plays. Now, the Seahawks hope that other veteran wideout, 19 months from his ACL injury in GB, can make the same strides of consistency and durability that Nate has…

Remember, we had a nice chat with Nate earlier this week. Check it out……here.