Growing Belief Is Bears Breakout Player Won't Be Who You Think

There's been an ongoing debate about who the Chicago Bears breakout player of 2018 will be. Probably the favorite at this moment is quarterback Mitch Trubisky. Everything the Bears did during the offseason was in some shape or form mean to help him get better. The wide receiving corps was overhauled. Matt Nagy brought in a brand new offense much more tailored to Trubisky's game. Yet he's not the only one in the race. Expectations are sky high for running back Tarik Cohen as well. After being misused quite often as a rookie, he has a chance to become a terror in the diverse Nagy offense. Then there's linebacker Leonard Floyd who has teased his pass rush skill the past couple years and is due for a breakout season. An undercurrent of experts have hinted on numerous occasions that people aren't watching the right name in regards to this offense. Trubisky and Cohen are fine choices, but the man who stands to really take off in 2018 is their newly signed tight end.

Trey Burton gaining steam as 2018 Chicago Bears breakout player

A lot of people shrugged when the Bears signed former Eagles tight end Trey Burton. They felt they were overpaying for what was essentially a backup player made famous for being part of one of the most pivotal plays in Super Bowl history. Don't tell that to several noted football experts who continue to insist Nagy and GM Ryan Pace know exactly who they're getting.

Rather than a backup, the Bears feel they're getting a starter who was trapped on a loaded depth chart. Indeed Burton had to play behind quality veteran Brent Celek and Pro Bowler Zach Ertz for his entire career. It's hard to see the field when that the case. This will mark the first time he gets genuine starter reps in an offense, and the expectations are high. Sam Monson of Pro Football Focus is among those buying into this idea, ranking Burton as his #9 best tight end of 2018.

"As we get to the close of this top 10 list, we look to potential and small sample sizes. Burton’s entire NFL career is just 741 snaps old over four seasons, but the Bears still signed him to a four-year, $32-million contract to be their receiving weapon at the position. While they already have Adam Shaheen, this move suggests he is slated to become more of their blocking tight end while Burton becomes the matchup weapon in the passing game. Though the sample size is small, his PFF grade last season was a top-10 figure, and he has flashed dynamic playmaking ability. A 2018 that fulfills that potential would justify this place on the list."

Burton certainly has looked the part in training camp thus far.

His ability as a pass catcher is impressive. He routinely beats defenders off the line and finds space to make big catches. He knows the offensive system inside and out, having seen most of it the past two years in Philadelphia. So it makes sense he would be the breakout candidate. Perhaps too many people got hung up on Adam Shaheen being the guy. They didn't recognize that not everybody was going to benefit from Nagy's arrival. Maybe that will still be true. For the time being though, this feels like Burton's time in the spotlight. He seems ready, willing and able to take advantage.