Finds end zone in win

Burton hauled in two of four passes for 86 yards and a touchdown in the Bears' 48-10 win over the Buccaneers on Sunday.

Analysis: Burton got the Bears' offensive explosion started with a 39-yard first-quarter touchdown in which he got loose down the right sideline for his second score of the season. The fifth-year pro still hasn't topped six targets in any game, but he's proven to be a serviceable downfield threat thus far in what had been a cautious Chicago air attack prior to Sunday. Burton will look to continue producing against the Dolphins in a Week 6 showdown following a Week 5 bye.

Leads Bears in receiving yards

Burton caught four passes for 55 yards in Chicago's Week 3 victory over Arizona.

Analysis: Burton saw the majority of his work in the first half while the Bears were playing with a 14-point deficit, and once they got back into the game they rarely threw the football. Although his yardage totals have improved each week, he's averaging just 30 yards per game with one touchdown, and although he's clearly a decent fantasy option, he's yet to prove that he'll be a top performer at tight end.

Scores in home debut

Burton caught all four of his targets for 20 yards and a touchdown in Monday night's 24-17 win over the Seahawks.

Analysis: Burton capped Chicago's opening offensive series with a three-yard touchdown from a well-designed shuffle pass. Although he wasn't very involved afterward -- and tied for third on the team in targets -- he at least caught everything thrown his way, an improvement from his one reception on six targets Week 1. On the back of that performance, Burton will look to keep moving in the right direction this Sunday versus the Cardinals.

Hauls in one pass

Burton caught one pass for 15 yards in Sunday's 24-23 loss to the Packers.

Analysis: Burton's unimpressive performance wasn't due to lack of opportunity, as he was second on the team with six targets, and he might have seen even more opportunities had the Bears not played conservatively after rolling to a 17-0 lead. He'll still be considered a fantasy starter going forward, especially since head coach Matt Nagy is certain to make regular use of the tight end position.

Not playing Saturday

Burton won't play in Saturday's preseason game versus the Chiefs, Kevin Fishbain of The Athletic Chicago reports.

Analysis: Along with the bulk of the Bears' starting units, Burton won't take the field in preseason Week 3. His receiving ability was on full display in the team's previous exhibition Aug. 18, when he corralled four passes for 45 yards and a red-zone look that resulted in a touchdown. The usage wasn't much of a surprise due to the four-year, $32 million investment made in him in the offseason.

Reaches paydirt Saturday

Burton caught four passes for 45 yards and a score during Saturday's preseason game against the Broncos.

Analysis: Burton was much more involved than he was last week, frequently lining up in the slot and ultimately drawing the most looks from starting quarterback Mitchell Trubisky among all Bears pass catchers. This is something we might need to get used to as Trubisky continues his development within an offense devoid of many other established receiving options outside of offseason prize Allen Robinson. Burton will look to build upon his impressive performance during Chicago's third preseason game next…read more

Snags pass

Burton caught his lone target for a five-yard gain during Thursday's 30-27 loss to Cincinnati.

Analysis: The only Mitchell Trubisky pass that went for positive yards on Thursday landed in Burton's hands. There's a fair amount of uncertainty in Chicago's offense this season. How wise was it to bring in a college coach as offensive coordinator? Can Trubisky take the next step in his development? Burton should be one of the better certainties. New head coach Matt Nagy, like Burton's former coach in Philadelphia, comes from the Andy Reid coaching tree and should have a good idea of how to utilize a…read more

Burton will play the "U" position in Bears head coach Matt Nagy's offensive scheme, filling the spot Travis Kelce occupied in Kansas City last season, Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

Analysis: Nagy wants his "U" tight end to be a focal point of the passing attack, which explains why the Bears handed a four-year, $32 million contract to a player with 63 receptions in 61 career games. Burton did have 122 yards and three touchdowns in the two contests Zach Ertz missed for the Eagles last season, providing a strong hint that he's ready for a larger role ahead of his fifth NFL campaign. Burton will have that opportunity in Chicago, though his lack of size by tight-end standards may…read more

Joining Trubisky, Allen Robinson

Burton will sign a four-year, $32 million contract with the Bears when free agency opens Wednesday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Analysis: This is a massive contract for an undrafted free agent (2014) who had 63 catches in 61 career regular-season games for the Eagles. Burton did impress in the two contests Zach Ertz missed last season, catching seven passes for 122 yards and a trio of scores. The 26-year-old tight end will now head to Chicago, where he and Allen Robinson will try to help Mitchell Trubisky make a Year 2 leap. Burton won't necessarily have an every-down role, but he at least figures to be a regular in passing…read more

Burton has a number of serious suitors, including the Lions, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.

Analysis: Best known for throwing a touchdown pass to Nick Foles on the "Philly Special" in the Super Bowl last month, Burton enjoyed an efficient regular season prior to the famous play, catching 23 of 30 targets for 248 yards and five touchdowns. He had seven receptions for 122 yards and three scores in the two games Zach Ertz missed, proving to be a more than capable replacement. In a free-agent class without any sure things at tight end, the 26-year-old Burton should be able to find starter money…read more

Burton threw a one-yard touchdown pass in Sunday's 41-33 win over the Patriots in the Super Bowl, and failed to reel in the only pass thrown his way.

Analysis: A passing touchdown certainly is surprising, but it's good to know Burton has that in his back pocket. While the 26-year-old caught a career-high five touchdowns during the regular season, he actually saw one fewer red-zone target in 2017 than he did the season prior. His 248 yards receiving while catching 23 of 31 targets all represent regression from 2016 as well. The soon-to-be fifth-year pro will now become an unrestricted free agent and will need to find somewhere to play outside of an…read more

Burton hauled in both of his targets for 15 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 34-29 win over the Giants.

Analysis: Though Burton was able to reach the end zone for the second game in a row, he unsurprisingly saw his workload take a significant hit with the return of starting tight end Zach Ertz from a one-game absence. Burton played just 11 of the Eagles' 68 offensive snaps Sunday, a stark decline from the 48 of 91 snaps (52.7 percent) he received in the Week 14 win over the Rams. So long as Ertz stays healthy over the final two regular-season contests, Burton isn't likely to see a dramatic spike in his…read more

Burton caught five of six targets for 71 yards and two touchdowns during Sunday's 43-35 win over the Rams.

Analysis: Burton stepped up in the absence of Zach Ertz (concussion), finishing second on the team in receiving yardage and scoring touchdowns on back-to-back possessions in the first half. The fourth-year pro also experienced an uptick in production after Ertz left last weeks game and appears to be the direct beneficiary of the latter's absence. Burton's outlook for next week's game against the Giants is somewhat murky at the moment, given the possibility that his aforementioned teammate could return…read more

Burton caught four of seven pass attempts for 42 yards in Sunday night's loss to Seattle.

Analysis: Burton accumulated all of his stats once Zach Ertz left the contest late in the third quarter due to a concussion. While Brent Celek played two more snaps than Burton's 21, the 26-year-old saw all of the tight end targets after the starter's injury. If Ertz is forced to miss time, Burton would stand to benefit in Week 14 against the Rams.

Burton (back) was a full participant at Wednesday's practice.

Analysis: Burton was a game-time decision for Sunday's 31-3 win over the Bears and ultimately was held out. His return to practice Wednesday as a full participant suggests he'll be back for Sunday's game in Seattle, where he figures to get most of his work on special teams. Burton has proven to be a capable pass catcher when pushed into action, but his skill set is redundant when Zach Ertz is healthy.

Burton (back) is inactive for Sunday's contest against the Bears, Dave Zangaro of NBC Sports Philadelphia reports.

Analysis: Burton's inability to practice Thursday or Friday left him a game-time decision, and a back injury will indeed keep the tight end in street clothes Week 12. Even when available to the offense, though, he's the third banana at tight end behind Zach Ertz and Brent Celek.

Burton (back) wasn't spotted at Friday's practice and is expected to be a game-time decision Sunday against the Bears, Dave Zangaro of NBC Sports Philadelphia reports.

Analysis: Burton was a limited practice participant Wednesday, but he's trending in the wrong direction after finishing the week with back-to-back absences. Eagles coach Doug Pederson nonetheless views his No. 3 tight end as a game-time decision, and the team hasn't yet bothered to sign a replacement. Burton only played 11 snaps on offense in last week's blowout win of the Cowboys, falling behind both Zach Ertz (60) and Brent Celek (23). Burton's absence might actually be a bigger loss on special teams,…read more

Burton was a limited participant in Wednesday's practice due to a back injury.

Analysis: Burton ranked third among Eagles tight ends in offensive snaps (13) in the team's Week 11 win over the Cowboys, with Zach Ertz (60) and Brent Celek (23) both seeing more action. It appears Burton's back may have presented complications despite the light workload, though his participation in practice Wednesday still makes it likely he'll be good to go for Sunday's matchup with the Bears.

Burton caught two of four pass-attempts for 41 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's win over the Broncos.

Analysis: With Zach Ertz nursing his hamstring injury, Burton was still out-snapped by Brent Celek 54-47, and each saw the same amount of targets. This continues a season-long trend of Burton and Celek splitting work that Ertz doesn't get, with Celek seeing slightly more playing time due to his better blocking ability. Ertz was a game-time decision in this one, and with a Week 10 bye, ought to have healed sufficiently to be able to play against Dallas in Week 11. Should that not be the case however,…read more