Tag: Michael Burton

Michael Burton returned to Saints because they checked every box

The Saints signed free agent fullback Michael Burton, whose experience with them in 2019 made New Orleans a top destination in 2020.

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The New Orleans Saints have always valued the fullback, which is a bit surprising given the position’s endangered species-status around the NFL in recent years. At a time when teams are throwing the ball more than ever and opting for less-crowded backfields in favor of wide-open pass sets, hard-nosed blockers like Michael Burton have generally had to take opportunities whenever they’ve come up.

But as Burton explained it, the Saints (as pass-happy as any team in the league) have a lot to offer to someone in his position. He spent the 2019 training camp competing with Zach Line for the starting gig, but had his hopes derailed by a late-summer injury. Now healthy, with Line retired and an open vacancy on top of the depth chart, Burton’s positive experience made the Saints a logical landing spot.

Burton spoke about his interest in the Saints and what led him back to New Orleans during a conference call with local media, saying, “Any given year, they’re top four in the league in fullback percentage usage and it just interests me too. I like the analytical side of football as well. I think maybe I want to be a coach or something like that.”

He also ran through a list of recent standout fullbacks the Saints have employed, proving he’s done his homework: “You look at Zach, the previous years, John Kuhn a few years ago, Austin Johnson, a few years ago, Jed Collins a few years ago, you have had a great fullback in place. That’s the goal to have the right guy.”

But it goes beyond a strong team culture and a playbook that creates plenty of opportunities for him to get on the field. The Saints coaching staff itself appealed to Burton. He first entered the NFL with the Detroit Lions, playing under then-offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi (now the Saints quarterbacks coach). And even earlier than that, he suited up at Rutgers with familiar faces on the Saints special teams staff like coordinator Darren Rizzi and assistant coach Phil Galiano drawing up his assignments.

Burton did the math, and reached an easy conclusion: the Saints matched up with what he wanted from just about every angle you could consider. Once the team gets to work, he should hit the ground running.

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Saints agree to terms with free agent fullback Michael Burton

The New Orleans Saints agreed to terms with free agent fullback Michael Burton, who spent the 2019 offseason and training camp with them.

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The New Orleans Saints agreed to terms on a contract with free agent fullback Michael Burton on Friday, per Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football. Burton spent last offseason and training camp with the Saints before joining the Washington Redskins midway through the 2019 season. He played 68 snaps on offense in D.C. but spent the bulk of his time on special teams, logging 177 appearances in 10 games.

Burton rose to prominence with the Chicago Bears before joining the Saints, and would have likely continued to grow into a household name if his career started a decade earlier. But the game’s shift away from traditional fullbacks and the run-first attack has made athletes like Burton an endangered species.

That could change in New Orleans. The Saints lost starting fullback Zach Line to retirement earlier this offseason; before his late-season injury in 2019, he was one of the NFL’s most frequently-played fullbacks, trailing only Minnesota Vikings starter C.J. Ham and San Francisco 49ers cornerstone Kyle Jusczyk in snaps played per game.

Saints coach Sean Payton values the positional versatility that fullbacks can present thanks to their skills set as blockers, runners, and occasional receivers. If Burton’s body holds up (he’s had some injury issues in the past), he could turn into a featured piece of the Saints offense in 2020, joining fan-favorites like Line, Jed Collins, and John Kuhn in their collective memory. He won’t lack for opportunities.

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2020 NFL Free Agency: Rounding out with Saints options from the Redskins

The New Orleans Saints will consider pending free agents from every team during the 2020 offseason, including the Washington Redskins.

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Well, we’ve reached the end of our daily series previewing pending free agents from every NFL team, identifying potential targets for the New Orleans Saints along the way. Surveying the league has been an informative journey, revealing the depth of this year’s free agency class and finding which teams may have options for the Saints — or be in competition with New Orleans in bidding wars for prized additions.

Our survey wraps up with the Washington Redskins. Here is their full list of pending free agents, with a few picked out as possible Saints targets at the bottom:

  • CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie
  • CB Aaron Colvin
  • DE Nate Orchard
  • DE Treyvon Hester (RFA)
  • DE Chris Odom
  • DE Caleb Brantley (RFA)
  • DE Myles Humphrey (ERFA)
  • FB Michael Burton
  • LB Jon Bostic
  • OC Tony Bergstrom
  • OG Brandon Scherff
  • OG Ereck Flowers
  • OT Donald Penn
  • QB Case Keenum
  • QB Colt McCoy
  • QB Josh Woodrum (ERFA)
  • RB Chris Thompson
  • RB Wendell Smallwood
  • SS Kenny Ladler
  • TE Jordan Reed
  • TE Vernon Davis
  • TE Jerome Cunningham (RFA)
  • WR Paul Richardson

One player already familiar to the Saints is fullback Michael Burton, who spent the 2019 offseason with New Orleans before he was released during roster cuts. He signed with Washington in mid-October and appeared in 10 games, logging 68 snaps on offense and 177 on special teams. The Saints lost Zach Line, their starter the last few years, to retirement this offseason so Burton would make sense as a candidate to bring back into training camp.

While Brandon Scherff would have been one of the biggest targets in free agency, he’s likely to be franchise tagged. But keep an eye on left guard Ereck Flowers, who would make sense as veteran competition with Nick Easton and Cameron Tom in replacement of Andrus Peat. Flowers flamed out as a left tackle but has turned his career around after moving inside.

While Jordan Reed and Paul Richardson are both dynamic receiving threats, they’ve each struggled with serious injuries in recent years and may not be suited for starting jobs and prolonged exposure to contact. The Saints could make a run at either of them in hopes of quick returns to good health, but they might be better off looking for younger options who have experienced less wear and tear.

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