Could Trey Burton Make Philly, Philly Return?

Life moves fast in the NFL.

After just two seasons in Chicago, former Eagles tight end Trey Burton is on the street after underperforming as a high-profile free agent fresh off Philadelphia’s Super Bowl LII win.

The triggerman of the famed “Philly Special,” in which Corey Clement took a direct snap and flipped the ball to Burton, once a high-school quarterback, on a reverse look before the TE lofted a soft pass to quarterback Nick Foles is not only the most famous play in franchise history, it’s one of the most famous plays in NFL history.

Ironically, Eagles passing game coordinator Press Taylor, then Philadelphia's assistant quarterbacks coach, mined the play from the Bears, who ran something similar in a meaningless Week 17 against Minnesota at the end of the 2016 season.

Just over two calendar years later all three players involved are no longer with the Eagles and two - Burton and Clement - are unemployed while Foles is already on his second team, moving to the Bears from Jacksonville after flaming out with the Jaguars.

Burton, 28, ended up hauling in 68 receptions for 653 yards and six touchdowns in 24 games with Chicago, after signing what was advertised as a four-year deal for $32 million. Last season, Burton played just eight games before his season-ending core-muscle surgery. Prior to that, he was a role player for the Eagles as the third end behind Zach Ertz and Brent Celek.

From a contract standpoint, Burton is owed $4 million by the Bears this season but has offset language in the deal, meaning if another team signs Burton to say a veteran minimum deal, the most likely scenario, that number would come off Chicago’s bill.

That brings us to the elephant in the room when it comes to sentimental Eagles fans.

Could Burton be back with the Eagles?

Philadelphia doesn't really need a tight end with Ertz and Dallas Goedert entrenched as perhaps the top duo in football. From there they have somewhat solid options as depth that can perform varying roles, from flex tight end Josh Perkins, once a receiver in college at the University of Washington, to Alex Ellis, a versatile hybrid who can line up as a fullback, H-back or Y-back.

Burton is still young enough and cheap enough, however, to bring back into the fold and let the chips fall where they may. If he earns the No. 3 job, he earns the job and if he doesn’t, Philadelphia could simply move forward.

Potential pros include Burton's adeptness as a special-teams player, where he's solid in coverage roles and has served as the emergency long snapper in the past. as well as the fact he is very close off the field with quarterback Carson Wentz.

A one-year, prove-it deal could be in play for a Burton return to Philly if he’s deemed healthy.

John McMullen covers the Eagles for SI.com and is the NFL Insider for JAKIB Media. You can listen to John every day on SIRIUSXM’s Tony Bruno Show with Harry Mayes, Every Tuesday and Thursday with Eytan Shander on SBNation Radio, and every weekday on ESPN 97.3 in South Jersey. You can reach him at jmcmullen44@gmail.com or on Twitter @JFMcMullen

Add us as a preferred source on Google