Versatile TE Trey Burton sees an opportunity with Eagles

Coach Derek Lewis knew that Trey Burton could excel at tight end for Florida, but in 2010 he couldn't persuade the freshman to trade six spots for one.

Burton shuffled from wide receiver to running back to fullback to slot receiver to stand-up tight end, and even started at quarterback against Florida State. Against Kentucky, Burton set a school record with six touchdowns, five on the ground and one in the air. As the only first-year starter that season, he led Florida with 12 touchdowns, more than a fourth of the team's season total.

Lewis, then the Gators' tight ends coach, didn't stand much of a chance.

"I tried to convince him to come to my room, be an elite tight end," said Lewis, who is now at Air Force. "But how can you tell a kid to stop breaking records?"

Five years later, Burton is trying to establish himself at tight end in his second training camp with the Eagles.

The team signed him as an undrafted free agent in May 2014, and he became a dependable special-teams player as a rookie. The offseason release of veteran James Casey, the third tight end behind Zach Ertz and Brent Celek, could be an opening for Burton.

Casey caught just three passes for 59 yards last season, but two of his catches were for touchdowns.

"I don't see it as, 'Oh, James left, so now I'm part of the offense more,' " Burton said after June's minicamp. "If I don't prove that I can be there, then the team will probably just play Zach and Brent. The opportunity is there, though."

Burton became a full-time wide receiver in his senior year at Florida. Last season provided his first dose of blocking as an extension of the offensive line on the Eagles' scout team. He said it was difficult to learn the blocking technique, but his experience at quarterback guided him through the transition.

"From the time he started at Florida, we saw his ability to adapt to any offensive position," Lewis said. "I think that has a lot to do with his history as a quarterback."

During minicamp, before the Eagles broke for their six-week summer break, Burton caught a touchdown pass from Matt Barkley at the end of a slant route.

Burton lightly celebrated the catch, high-fiving teammates and leaping for a shoulder bump with Barkley. But unless Barkley plays his way into the Eagles' starting quarterback spot, catching one of his passes in the end zone was only a step for Burton.

"I want to be catching passes from whoever starts on game day," Burton said. "I think I can get there."