Blue
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- Mar 19, 2019
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Burton signed a free agent deal with the Chicago Bears in 2018, and would go on to have the best season of his career in Chicago later that year, catching 54 passes for 569 yards and six touchdowns. He would have an injury-plagued second season with the Bears in 2019, however; in eight games played, he finished with 14 receptions for 84 yards, and he was released by the team on Friday.
Burton underwent hip surgery in December, and the Bears had previously expected him to be ready by training camp this year.
With the Colts, Burton gets an opportunity to reunite with Reich, who is now entering his third season as the Colts' head coach and playcaller.
Burton also fills an immediate need on the roster.
While the Colts already have two talented tight ends on their roster set to return in 2020 — two-time Pro Bowler Jack Doyle and Mo Alie-Cox — the team was looking to fill the void left by Eric Ebron, who signed a free agent deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers earlier this offseason. In his two seasons with the Colts, Ebron compiled 97 receptions for 1,125 yards and 16 touchdowns through the air.
But Burton also brings tremendous value in other areas for the Colts; in 2018, for example, he was Pro Football Focus’ top-ranked blocking tight end in the NFL (Doyle, for what it's worth, ranked third on that same list).
Other tight ends currently on the Colts' offseason roster that will be vying for final roster spots include Billy Brown, Ian Bunting, Xavier Grimble and Matt Lengel.