Getty Former Chicago Bears Tight End Trey Burton has just signed with the Colts. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images)
Trey Burton won’t be headed too far geographically, although he’ll be in an entirely different conference. Just days after the Chicago Bears released the tight end, Burton’s management, EnterSports Management, announced via Twitter that he has just reached a deal with the Indianapolis Colts.
🚨🚨 BREAKING 🚨🚨
#TeamESM client Trey Burton has agreed to terms with the @Colts! We’re so excited for @TreyBurton8 to reunite with Head Coach Frank Reich!
Per NFL insider Ian Rapoport, the Colts signed Burton to a one-year deal worth the league minimum. Burton is also slated to make $4 million from the Bears in 2020 due to the guaranteed money remaining on his contract, per Spotrac.
Free agent TE Trey Burton has agreed to terms with the #Colts, per @EnterSportsMgmt. Back together with coach Frank Reich. He gets a 1-year deal worth the minimum… but he gets a total of $4M that’s already guaranteed from the #Bears.
Chicago signed Burton to a four-year, $32 million contract in 2018. That year, he had a solid debut season, playing in all 16 regular season games. Burton had 54 catches for 569 yards and six touchdowns that year, and it looked like the Bears had potentially found their guy. Then, injury struck.
Burton ended up on injured reserve to close out the 2019 season, and he battled groin, hip and calf injuries all last year. The Bears recently released the struggling tight end after he had a solid first season with the team. Bears general manager Ryan Pace noted Burton’s injuries were the primary reason the team decided to let him go.
“As we took a full evaluation of our roster after free agency and factored everything in, that was the best decision for us,” Pace said Tuesday about the team’s decision to release Burton. “He had a good first year for us, but unfortunately for him and for us, the injuries kind of added up.”
Burton is Reunited With Former Coach Frank Reich
After losing tight end Eric Ebron, the Colts had a void at tight end. Burton could possibly fill it if he stays healthy, and it will help he’s reuniting with Colts head coach Frank Reich, who served as Burton’s offensive coordinator with the Philadelphia Eagles from 2016-17. They won Super Bowl LII together, and it seems key EnterSports Management noted Burton was excited to play for Reich again. It’s likely the feeling is mutual.
“I love Trey Burton,” Reich said about the tight end in 2016. “He’s a football player … That guy understands the game. He’s very athletic, he’s got good size. Some guys just know how to play. You can put them on the field and put them in any position it seems like. He really impressed me in OTAs. There were times he was running routes outside [and] on the tape it looks like it’s a receiver, and yet he’s 245, 250 pounds and plays tight end. I’m very impressed with him and looking for some good production from him.”
Despite the red flag that is his injury-plagued 2019 season, Reich seems comfortable moving forward with Burton, particularly with his deal being so Colts-friendly. Indy will pay Burton around $900,000 for just one season of work, and if he proves he can stay healthy and be productive alongside Jack Doyle, Burton could silence a lot of doubters.
The Bears and the Colts square off during the upcoming 2020 season, so that matchup just got a bit more interesting.
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