BLOOMINGTON, Minn. — It feels like Trey Burton is wearing the wrong uniform.
Not that he doesn't look sharp in Kelly green, but the Eagles tight end possesses the kind of multipurpose skill set that would fit in perfectly with Philadelphia's Super Bowl 52 opponent.
Bill Belichick, who has adroitly showcased the versatility of players like Troy Brown and Julian Edelman during his 18-year head coaching tenure in New England, should have foreseen what Burton could become in 2014, when the Patriots worked him out individually at the University of Florida's pro day. Instead, it's the Eagles who are reaping the rewards of having signed Burton as an undrafted free agent when Chip Kelly was coach.
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"There were a couple of (interested) teams, but I would say Philly was my only real option,” Burton said Tuesday during an Eagles news conference. "Chip called me after the draft and said, ‘Listen, we want you to give the Eagles a shot.'"
Doing so has paid dividends for both sides. Burton’s ability to carve a niche as Philadelphia's third tight could make him an X factor against the Patriots.
"He’s valuable," Eagles coach Doug Pederson said Tuesday. "You can move him around a little bit on offense and obviously on special teams. We’ve got to find ways to continue to get him on the field."
Burton, 26, proved himself worthy of more snaps when replacing injured starter Zach Ertz in a Week 14 game against the Rams. Burton caught five passes for 71 yards and two touchdowns to highlight a season in which he tallied a career-high five scores to complement 23 receptions for 248 yards.
Such numbers reflect how Burton has grown in a position he never concentrated solely on playing in college. Burton also was used at wide receiver, fullback and Wildcat quarterback during a 50-game college career with the Gators, highlighted by the six touchdowns he scored in a win over Kentucky.
Burton, though, struggled with a case of the "wasn'ts" among NFL talent assessors.
He wasn't a good enough thrower to play quarterback. He wasn't elusive enough to star at running back. He wasn't fast enough to shine at wide receiver. Even tight end was a stretch considering the 6-2, 224-pound Burton was the smallest player at the position invited to the NFL Combine.
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Yet when it came to desire and commitment, Burton had enough to warrant a first-round selection.
Burton started to add what would eventually become 10 pounds of muscle to his frame after signing in Philadelphia. He also would be among the first players reporting to team headquarters daily to work with wide receiver Jordan Matthews, throwing passes and catching footballs fired from a JUGS machine.
"I was just making sure I had all the bases covered and wouldn't let a small thing like dropping the ball hurt my chances of making the team," Burton said. "I wanted to make sure I focused and had my mind on the right stuff."
Burton’s mindset also didn't allow him to become discouraged when offensive playing time was scant during his first two seasons under Kelly. Burton would constantly ask his position coach, as well as Ertz and veteran tight end Brent Celek, for tips to master the tight-end spot.
"I would say by my second year I knew I could be a really, really good special-teams player in the league," Burton said. "But I didn't want to just end there."
Burton's break came when Kelly was fired and Peterson arrived in 2016 with a West Coast-style system.
"With Chip you just go so fast that you don't really have too much time to sub in and sub out,” said Burton, referring to Kelly’s pacing in his spread attack. "It's just the way things go. Obviously, Doug huddles a lot more and we have a lot more time to switch people in and out."
Burton will likely be switching teams in 2018. The Eagles are strapped against the salary cap and have the 27-year-old Ertz locked into a long-term contract along with the potential of keeping the 33-year-old Celek in the fold with a restructured deal.
Plus, better opportunities may be awaiting Burton elsewhere in terms of both finances and playing time. Who knows — maybe the Patriots will come calling this time.
But with the Super Bowl looming, Burton is focused on the present, using the same approach that didn't let him become discouraged in college when he didn't have a chance to focus on one position to enhance his NFL draft stock.
"You don't really think that far ahead," he said. “You’re just trying to win. You know the more you win, the better chances you have of going somewhere."
And in his case, that somewhere is up.
Alex Marvez can be heard from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET Tuesday through Friday on SiriusXM NFL Radio.
