Trey Burton not expected to re-sign with Eagles, report says

Impending free agent tight end Trey Burton is not expected to re-sign with the Philadelphia Eagles this offseason, according to a report from NJ.com:

The Eagles have made an offer that Burton “didn’t consider serious,” and unless the offer is sweetened, Burton likely will sign with another team, a person with knowledge of the negotiations told NJ Advance Media. [...] ”We are fully expecting Trey to sign elsewhere,” said the person, who requested anonymity because the person was not authorized to speak publicly about the contract talks.

The “person” referenced here is likely Burton’s agent.

This report hardly comes as a surprise. Burton, 26, is about to hit unrestricted free agency for the first time since entering the league as an undrafted free agent in 2014. This is his chance to cash in.

Burton figures to be one of the top available tight ends on the market. He’s not known for being the best blocker but some team will pay him for his receiving ability. Burton had 23 receptions for 248 yards and five touchdowns in 2017. He was a reliable role player who was counted on to step up when Zach Ertz missed two games. Burton was also an important contributor on special teams. Oh, and he threw the Philly Special touchdown pass in the Super Bowl. No big deal.

It’s unfortunate that the Eagles will likely be losing Burton. Philadelphia just doesn’t have the cap space to keep him around. Instead, the Eagles will hope Burton lands a big money deal in free agency so that it helps Philly earn a nice compensatory pick in the 2019 NFL Draft.

With Burton unlikely to re-sign and Brent Celek possibly being gone, Ertz is the only Eagles tight end on the 2017 roster guaranteed to return in 2018. The Eagles also have unproven players such as Billy Brown, Adam Zaruba, and Joshua Perkins under contract.