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#Chiefs are signing fullback Michael Burton to a one-year deal, according to a source.
Burton played for the Saints last season.
— Herbie Teope (@HerbieTeope) April 1, 2021
The Kansas City Star’s Herbie Teope reported Tuesday that former New Orleans Saints fullback Michael Burton signed a one-year contract with the Kansas City Chiefs. Burton was an unrestricted free agent after his one-year deal with New Orleans expired after the 2020 season. He was presumed to depart after the Saints signed former Carolina Panthers fullback Alex Armah to a one-year contract earlier this offseason.
A fifth-round pick out of Rutgers in the 2015 NFL draft, Burton spent two years with the Detroit Lions before he was claimed off of waivers by the Chicago Bears. After joining the Saints for training camp in 2019, he returned to New Orleans after a year with the Washington Football Team to replace the retired Zack Line. The fullback is viewed as a dying breed around the NFL, but Sean Payton is one of a handful of play callers who has shown a propensity for them on his roster.
While primarily a special teams player, on the field for 29% of snaps in the kicking game compared to 19% of the offensive snaps, Burton shined with his blocking skills. He saw just four targets in 2020 but was a cornerstone in the New Orleans rushing attack, which ranked sixth in the league; the trio of Alvin Kamara, Latavius Murray, and Taysom Hill averaged over 141 yards per game on the ground.
The salary terms are not yet known, but it’s likely the Chiefs offered a veteran minimum contract similar to what the Saints signed him to last season. That would not qualify for a compensatory draft pick in 2022. In such an underused role, any production on the part of Burton is a positive for Kansas City, particularly in the upward trajectory of young running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire as a key lead blocker. But if Burton hits the ground running, he could hang around: he’s replacing longtime Chiefs fullback Anthony Sherman, who retired after eight years with the team.
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