Bengals free agency: Trey Burton makes sense
The Cincinnati Bengals should consider signing tight end Trey Burton to fill their tight end vacancy in 2018.
The Cincinnati Bengals have decided to move on from veteran tight end Tyler Eifert due to his injury history since entering the league. Whether they think Tyler Kroft can fill that role and are looking for a new second tight end or they want someone to come in and start right away, the Bengals should take a long look at former Philadelphia Eagles tight end, Trey Burton.
Burton, 26, has spent his entire career backing up veteran tight end Zach Ertz only starting in five games since 2014.His first two years in the league he rarely saw the field. It wasn’t till 2016 that the young tight end got a chance to prove himself as the second tight end. In his last two seasons with the Eagles, he has collected 575 yards and 6 touchdowns.
The former undrafted free agent proved to be a threat when Ertz left the game due to a concussion against the Los Angeles Rams. Burton finished the game with 5 catches for 71 yards and 2 touchdowns. With his limited role in the Eagles offense, Burton still hauled in 5 touchdowns in the 2017 season.
The backup tight end proved extremely reliable as he caught 23 of 24 catchable passes in 2017. He also threw a touchdown pass to quarterback Nick Foles in Super Bowl XII to help defeat the New England Patriots on fourth and goal.
His little experience makes him an inexpensive signing which is perfect considering the Bengals rarely like to spend money in free agency. There are plenty of teams looking for help at the tight end position, however, meaning he could command more. Regardless, the Bengals should take a look at signing the former Florida tight end and bring more big red zone threats for quarterback
to utilize in 2018.
Next: Bengals sign defensive tackle Chris Baker to one-year deal
Cincinnati’s offense was the worst in the league in yards per game during the 2017 campaign. Adding another weapon for Dalton to target on a consistent basis and draw attention away from star wide receiver A.J. Green would immensely improve this offense. His speed and size make him a mismatch for both linebackers and safeties.