Philadelphia Eagles Place 2nd round tender on Trey Burton

The Philadelphia Eagles have reportedly placed a second-round restricted tender on restricted free agent TE Trey Burton.

While this may be a move swept under the NFL Combine carpet, it is no small matter for a team attempting to protect its assets and build the roster for long-term contention.

For those novel to the RFA tender conversation, here is a brief rundown of the process. Any player with three years commitment and a total of six or more regular season games on an active game-day roster with an NFL club is eligible to be designated a “Restricted Free Agent” (RFA). From here, there are several possible outcomes.

First, another team does not offer Burton a contract. At which point, he remains a member of the Philadelphia Eagles.

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Second, another team offers Burton a contract. Under this circumstance, the Philadelphia Eagles have five days to decide to either match the offer–retaining Burton–or let him go: which would net them a second round pick from Burton’s new team.

Third, no team offers Burton a contract. Under this circumstance, Burton’s rights revert back to the Eagles but on an elevated salary consistent with his tender designation. The current projections for a 2017 second-round tender designation would afford Burton a $2.8M salary this upcoming season.

Finally, it is possible that Burton receives a tender from another franchise and, rather than match that offer, the Eagles trade Burton to the tendering team outright. This was the case in 2007 when the Miami Dolphins traded Wes Welker to the (in-division rivals) New England Patriots. It was largely believed the Patriots would pursue Welker on a lucrative tender offer and outbid the Dolphins accordingly. Miami, in retort, took what they could get in trade for Welker and the rest is history.

Burton is in his third year in the NFL. His junior campaign was, by far, his most successful after spending the majority of his first two years on the Philadelphia Eagles practice squad. In Doug Pederson‘s offense, friendly to 12-personnel sets, Burton found the field regularly and contributed 37 catches for 327 yards and one touchdown. Adding to his on-field value were his special teams contributions, where he as a standout on Dave Fipp’s unit.

Next: NFL Combine Day 1: Running Back and Offensive Line Winners and Losers

You can bet the rest of the NFL is keenly aware of the precarious cap situation in Philadelphia. If a team needing a versatile TE smells blood in the water, you can bet they will make a run at Burton: knowing the Eagles have limited financial flexibility to match the salary offer. It’s no secret Doug Pederson runs an offense that relies on a 12-personnel set. It is no secret Brent Celek is aging quickly. It wouldn’t be a surprise if another franchise took advantage of these roster liabilities.

Something to keep an eye on as 4:00 pm on March 9th approaches.

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