Bears release TE Trey Burton

[otis]

yeah but why release him right before the draft? with pace being so sly when it comes to smoke screens, i.e glennon and biscuit, this seems out of line for him. it is one week before the draft. pace couldn't hold on for one week and see what happens in the draft? so now if a tight end falls some team will snipe pace since they know he's looking. i suppose he may have an oj howard trade in mind but other than that it seems really out of character for him.

[HurricaneBear]

Surprised by this but happy. Didn't like Burton when he was signed, like him even less now. If he doesnt retire I bet he goes back to the Eagles and has a lackluster end to his career, except when he plays the Bears where he will somehow look like an all pro

[RichH55]

With the move "RIGHT NOW" - They do save the Workout Bonus of......$100 K. (I.E. Less Cap space than we used to get good will from the Zach Miller last contract)

The only other thing I can think of - and this is RANK speculation since I have not seen hide nor hair of it anywhere - Maybe there is some offset language in the contract?

But even then - why the F now? Pull that bandaid off before the league year so more teams have cap space and are making their dumber decisions

It's just a poor process move

[RichH55]

Take that back:
"$4M of 2020 salary fully guarantees on 3/15/2019 (subject to offsets)"

SO...the offsets could play a part - it's just kind of wild that the timing is right now

[dplank]

This timing is really baffling.

Why do it right before the draft and tip your hand on needs???

Even if you're planning on making some sort of signing, it still doesn't make sense. You can't use up every dollar of cap space - you have to have some cushion. Make this other signing, then cut Burton after the draft.

For you smoke screen lovers...maybe Pace is pulling a 3D chess move here and is showing a need at TE heading into the draft as a smoke screen to....wait for it.....surprise everyone by taking Jalen Hurts.

[RichH55]

This timing is really baffling.

Why do it right before the draft and tip your hand on needs???

Even if you're planning on making some sort of signing, it still doesn't make sense. You can't use up every dollar of cap space - you have to have some cushion. Make this other signing, then cut Burton after the draft.

For you smoke screen lovers...maybe Pace is pulling a 3D chess move here and is showing a need at TE heading into the draft as a smoke screen to....wait for it.....surprise everyone by taking Jalen Hurts.

Dion Sims, Adam Shaheen, Trey Burton, Jimmy Graham

Feels like TE might not be where Pace is playing his best game

[The Cooler King]

I think the tipping hand thing is being way over thought here. I doubt he's narrowed in on a position like that, and even after cutting Burton, I'd say the need positions that existed before are still the bigger need spots (CB, S, G). And with only 2 picks in the top 50 and then not another til 163... Pace is playing a chess game without his queen and most of his pawns already gone. There just isn't much to tip.

[dplank]

For you smoke screen lovers...maybe Pace is pulling a 3D chess move here and is showing a need at TE heading into the draft as a smoke screen to....wait for it.....surprise everyone by taking Jalen Hurts.

Dion Sims, Adam Shaheen, Trey Burton, Jimmy Graham

Feels like TE might not be where Pace is playing his best game

While the track record is ominous, I'm not counting out Jimmy Graham before he's even played a snap for us.

[RichH55]

Dion Sims, Adam Shaheen, Trey Burton, Jimmy Graham

Feels like TE might not be where Pace is playing his best game

While the track record is ominous, I'm not counting out Jimmy Graham before he's even played a snap for us.

Fair - More so that it's just an overpay on Graham - Might be an overpay we ultimately don't mind - but really no way to not consider it an overpay

[The Cooler King]

While the track record is ominous, I'm not counting out Jimmy Graham before he's even played a snap for us.

Fair - More so that it's just an overpay on Graham - Might be an overpay we ultimately don't mind - but really no way to not consider it an overpay

Seems like every TE got "overpaid" this off season sooo...

[spudbear]

I believe this move was made now more as a message to the players than the rest of the league. His medicals must have come back with a negative prognosis, and I'm guessing Burton would have talked it up to his teammates. With everyone isolated they're probably chatting amongst themselves daily, so Pace signals that he's willing to cut ties with an injured player.

They were charitable with Miller and it looks like they're being charitable with Burton, in that he has a chance to shop his services with other teams if he wants before teams load up at TE in the draft. I never really saw him as a TE but just another big WR with not much speed.

[cblaz11]

I think there is something to this..When you have a player who is constantly injured it takes a tole on a team. I think this is Paces way of setting the tone in the locker room. He’s done a great job of avoiding players who have consistent injury pasts...Burton snuck past him.

[otis]

I believe this move was made now more as a message to the players than the rest of the league. His medicals must have come back with a negative prognosis, and I'm guessing Burton would have talked it up to his teammates. With everyone isolated they're probably chatting amongst themselves daily, so Pace signals that he's willing to cut ties with an injured player.

They were charitable with Miller and it looks like they're being charitable with Burton, in that he has a chance to shop his services with other teams if he wants before teams load up at TE in the draft. I never really saw him as a TE but just another big WR with not much speed.

nice post! that's the best spin yet. i agree also. when i think of tight end i think of another lineman that can catch, not a slow receiver.

[dplank]

Still...the fact that they chose to free up 2.8M of cap instead of 1M and being totally clear of it next year, signals a move to me. If they were done making moves then just eat it all this year since next year is going to be really tough cap wise, no?

[RichH55]

Fair - More so that it's just an overpay on Graham - Might be an overpay we ultimately don't mind - but really no way to not consider it an overpay

Seems like every TE got "overpaid" this off season sooo...

Olsen got 5.5 Million Guaranteed, Eifert only 3.25, Ebron got 5 (though its really 6 in practical terms)

Graham got 9

Like I said there is a change that we don't care about the overpay - but it is an overpay

[Road]

Good riddance, the guy never met expectations after his 1st year. I believe he’s a bit of a head case too and never was a good team fit. Let’s move on and get someone that can actually play the position and catch. That game he sat out against the eagles really soured me on him.
I believe he was released as a favor to him to help get his life together.

[IE]

Seems like every TE got "overpaid" this off season sooo...

Olsen got 5.5 Million Guaranteed, Eifert only 3.25, Ebron got 5 (though its really 6 in practical terms)

Graham got 9

Like I said there is a change that we don't care about the overpay - but it is an overpay

The pay is only half the equation though, isn't it? I think of that list, I'd definitely want to pay Graham 9 compared to Ebron or Eiffert in the 3s. They just don't bring the value and are risky. The Bears needed certainty at the position. Graham is healthy and so much better than those other two both historically and now.

Plus there are other factors. Pace might have thought Olsen was a good interim answer, but maybe didn't want the specter of the past coming into his team.

It is a lot of money, but Graham is going to bring a lot of what the Bears have needed at the position. And then while he and Harris are bringing more certainty to the position, they can still look hard at Holtz and develop Horsted on the PS. I can't see Braunecker staying even after the Burton departure... can you?

I like that Pace is creating a little more smoke. But can't see there is a legit threat for him to draft a TE early unless someone good makes a dramatic fall. There's still a log jam at the position, and Pace has hit the position hard in FA.

[cblaz11]

Seems like every TE got "overpaid" this off season sooo...

Olsen got 5.5 Million Guaranteed, Eifert only 3.25, Ebron got 5 (though its really 6 in practical terms)

Graham got 9

Like I said there is a change that we don't care about the overpay - but it is an overpay

I could be wrong here...so bare with me, but your only comparing guaranteed money. I understand that with a lot of these deals that is really the most important, but with these 1-2 year deals, you have to look at the total deal.

If Graham and Ebron play two years of their deals, we’re paying Graham what, 1.5 million more per year? If that’s accurate, I don’t really consider that an overpay.

I just don’t see the Graham deal nearly as bad as originally reported especially after looking at the deals that less talented and reliable tight ends received.

[IE]

This timing is really baffling.

Why do it right before the draft and tip your hand on needs???

Even if you're planning on making some sort of signing, it still doesn't make sense. You can't use up every dollar of cap space - you have to have some cushion. Make this other signing, then cut Burton after the draft.

For you smoke screen lovers...maybe Pace is pulling a 3D chess move here and is showing a need at TE heading into the draft as a smoke screen to....wait for it.....surprise everyone by taking Jalen Hurts.

[The Cooler King]

Olsen got 5.5 Million Guaranteed, Eifert only 3.25, Ebron got 5 (though its really 6 in practical terms)

Graham got 9

Like I said there is a change that we don't care about the overpay - but it is an overpay

I could be wrong here...so bare with me, but your only comparing guaranteed money. I understand that with a lot of these deals that is really the most important, but with these 1-2 year deals, you have to look at the total deal.

If Graham and Ebron play two years of their deals, we’re paying Graham what, 1.5 million more per year? If that’s accurate, I don’t really consider that an overpay.

I just don’t see the Graham deal nearly as bad as originally reported especially after looking at the deals that less talented and reliable tight ends received.

Yea, I definitely think that as a generalization, the longer the contract, the more that the importance shifts from total verse total guaranteed.

But its also important to make sure in any metric that we use to evaluate a contract, its on somewhat equal terms.

Greg Olsen's is a 1 year deal. 1/7 with 5.5 guaranteed. Graham 2/16 with 9 guaranteed, or average 2/8 with 4.5 guaranteed. Olsen's non-guaranteed money is tied to being on the active roster, but if at the end of 2020 Graham plays 16 games and costs 8M, and Olsen plays zero games and makes 5.5M, I know which the worse overpay will have been.. Okay, that's an extreme example, but even if its like 12 games verse 16, that value is probably made up on a per game basis. Let's hope Graham's reliability keeps up. Obviously any guy could go down on a single play and never play another snap again, but when you look at Graham's guarantee verse Olsen and Eifert specifically, history of health certainly played a role in those contracts.

Look at that bottom tier of guys who are 2nd or even 3rd TEs. They were signing for ~$2.5-3M AAV. (which was basically the next tier after those guys mentioned)
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/ ... omLo00.htm
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/ ... ilLe00.htm
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/ ... nnNi00.htm
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/ ... uiMy00.htm

Obviously contracts don't work linearly, but the market certainly looks more inflated than I expected going in, making me think Graham wasn't really the big overpay everyone thought. We just were off on the market.

[dplank]

Generally speaking....

Fans think that we'll be able to sign guys in FA for much less than is realistic.
Fans react to those signings thinking that we overpaid.
Once the emotion wears down and contract details come out, everyone settles down and realizes it wasn't as bad an overpay as we thought.

Not always true, but mostly this is what happens.

[spudbear]

Generally speaking....

Fans think that we'll be able to sign guys in FA for much less than is realistic.
Fans react to those signings thinking that we overpaid.
Once the emotion wears down and contract details come out, everyone settles down and realizes it wasn't as bad an overpay as we thought.

Not always true, but mostly this is what happens.

umm, DP, the key word is FREE
It's all supply and demand, with some quality sprinkled in. I can recall a certain team needing a FA QB in a year with the worst FA QB's available and overpaying for a long-neck nonGlen. Fortunately the GM minimized the damage to one year.

Was Burton the best FA TE two years ago? Once Sims was (thankfully) kicked to the curb I'm not sure what Pace had as an option besides the eternal hope that is Shaheen. I suppose you could argue that Graham was one of the top two FA TE available this year. Time will tell.

Last season should have been the payoff season for Burton as he learned the offense AND had time to develop as Mitch's safety valve. Instead the mangina sidelined him. I'm hoping Graham and Foles break their quarantines/isolation and work out together for extended throwing and route running sessions together the next two months. With passes > 6 feet.

[RichH55]

I could be wrong here...so bare with me, but your only comparing guaranteed money. I understand that with a lot of these deals that is really the most important, but with these 1-2 year deals, you have to look at the total deal.

If Graham and Ebron play two years of their deals, we’re paying Graham what, 1.5 million more per year? If that’s accurate, I don’t really consider that an overpay.

I just don’t see the Graham deal nearly as bad as originally reported especially after looking at the deals that less talented and reliable tight ends received.

Yea, I definitely think that as a generalization, the longer the contract, the more that the importance shifts from total verse total guaranteed.

But its also important to make sure in any metric that we use to evaluate a contract, its on somewhat equal terms.

Greg Olsen's is a 1 year deal. 1/7 with 5.5 guaranteed. Graham 2/16 with 9 guaranteed, or average 2/8 with 4.5 guaranteed. Olsen's non-guaranteed money is tied to being on the active roster, but if at the end of 2020 Graham plays 16 games and costs 8M, and Olsen plays zero games and makes 5.5M, I know which the worse overpay will have been.. Okay, that's an extreme example, but even if its like 12 games verse 16, that value is probably made up on a per game basis. Let's hope Graham's reliability keeps up. Obviously any guy could go down on a single play and never play another snap again, but when you look at Graham's guarantee verse Olsen and Eifert specifically, history of health certainly played a role in those contracts.

Look at that bottom tier of guys who are 2nd or even 3rd TEs. They were signing for ~$2.5-3M AAV. (which was basically the next tier after those guys mentioned)
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/ ... omLo00.htm
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/ ... ilLe00.htm
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/ ... nnNi00.htm
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/ ... uiMy00.htm

Obviously contracts don't work linearly, but the market certainly looks more inflated than I expected going in, making me think Graham wasn't really the big overpay everyone thought. We just were off on the market.

Tough to argue with if one guy plays 0 Games and the other plays 16 - that the guy who plays 16 probably was more valuable

It's also not the most fair way to compare both guys and the market for TEs generally

[RichH55]

Graham is also 34 - and part of the argument he is a good signing is that he will be "healthier" this year (He played games true, but apparently not at 100%)

Also - checking notes - We are expecting bigger plays out of him going from some scrub like Aaron Rodgers to the powerhouse QBs we have? Ok.

I do think you have to look at every aspect (Though guaranteed money - and money in years 1 and 2 - more so Year 1 - matter the most)

And I think people were saying look at the market when Eifert was reported as like 2 years 15 million

When in reality its not that unless he's basically a Pro Bowler and healthy

Downside matters too (and upside - but bear with me)

You pay Graham $9 million no matter what - You locked in all the downside

[The Grizzly One]

Rich, I initially felt the same way. But seeing what the other options were, I'm OK with it.

Is there another TE deal you preferred?

[The Cooler King]

Graham is also 34 - and part of the argument he is a good signing is that he will be "healthier" this year (He played games true, but apparently not at 100%)

Also - checking notes - We are expecting bigger plays out of him going from some scrub like Aaron Rodgers to the powerhouse QBs we have? Ok.

I do think you have to look at every aspect (Though guaranteed money - and money in years 1 and 2 - more so Year 1 - matter the most)

And I think people were saying look at the market when Eifert was reported as like 2 years 15 million

When in reality its not that unless he's basically a Pro Bowler and healthy

Downside matters too (and upside - but bear with me)

You pay Graham $9 million no matter what - You locked in all the downside

The Olsen and Eifert structures are hardly the norm. The norm is that you pay full price for the downside. That's not some uniquely Graham-contract thing.

There would be zero relief if we signed Eifert, he spent most the year on the IR and thus we were only on the hook for his 3.5m. Sure it would be better than if Graham got hurt and we were on the hook for a much larger number, but with how big that hole was, I don't think they could role the dice on a guy like Eifert and his history (versus the fact that this is a violent sport in which every play is a role of the dice, but those odds are at least easier to handle).

[dplank]

Olsen and Eifert may be better deals if they stay healthy and play, but it's not wise to look at this from a "money only" perspective. We are paying a premium for Grahams historical availability at a position of critical importance to Nagy's offense. Olsen/Eifert are lower costs because there's a much greater chance that the money is completely lost b/c they get injured and can't play. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder here.

That said, how Bears-like would it be for Graham to sustain his first major career injury in a Bears uniform.

[wulfy]

Also - checking notes - We are expecting bigger plays out of him going from some scrub like Aaron Rodgers to the powerhouse QBs we have? Ok.

But oddly enough, Rodgers doesn't really target the TE, except in the Red Zone.

[HurricaneBear]

Also - checking notes - We are expecting bigger plays out of him going from some scrub like Aaron Rodgers to the powerhouse QBs we have? Ok.

But oddly enough, Rodgers doesn't really target the TE, except in the Red Zone.

This!!! Call it the system or Rodgers preference but it's what drives me nuts when people try to make comments like RichH55. Seattle isn't a great TE system either. Sometimes the system/QB preference plays a big role in how a pass catcher does and Graham's previous two teams don't feature the TE like the Bears offense does. It's a much better fit for Jimmy G, hopefully he can excel in it.

[wab]

I can't believe they really did it.