Report: Morgan Burnett Requests Steelers Release; Wants to Play Safety, Not LB

Pittsburgh Steelers safety Morgan Burnett told Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network on Saturday that he wants to be released:

As Rapoport and Jeremy Fowler of ESPN noted, Burnett played dime linebacker for Pittsburgh after eight seasons as a safety for the Green Bay Packers, and he's reportedly been uncomfortable with the switch. His 30 tackles this past season were his lowest mark since his rookie year, when he played just four games.

A source told Fowler that Burnett "hadn't officially requested a release and wasn't sure whether the team would honor the request."

Drafted in the third round out of Georgia Tech in 2010, Burnett was a stalwart in the Packers secondary. Over a four-year period from 2011-2014, Burnett averaged 119 tackles per season. He also amassed a career-high 11 pass deflections in 2011. For his career, he's forced eight fumbles and recovered 10.

Burnett signed a three-year, $14.35 million contract in March but started in just two of the 11 games he played last season after rookie Terrell Edmunds assumed a starting safety role.