Tight end Trey Burton has signed with the Indianapolis Colts, the team announced Wednesday night, reuniting him with coach Frank Reich, who was the Philadelphia Eagles' offensive coordinator when Burton was with that team.
Burton is looked at as a potential replacement for Eric Ebron at tight end. Ebron signed with Pittsburgh after his two seasons with the Colts ended with his surprise announcement that he was having season-ending ankle surgery in late November 2019.
Burton gives the Colts another pass-catching threat in Reich's offense, which is big on using tight ends. Burton will have a chance to be the No. 2 tight end behind Jack Doyle next season.
Burton became a free agent when he was released by the Chicago Bears on April 17 after two seasons with the club.
He played only eight games last season before suffering a season-ending calf injury, and he underwent hip surgery to address a labrum issue in December. He finished the season with only 14 receptions for 84 yards and no touchdowns.
He is expected to be ready before training camp, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Burton, who turned 28 in October, started all 16 regular-season games during his first season with the Bears, catching 54 passes for 569 yards and six touchdowns, but he was a surprise inactive for the wild-card loss to his former team, the Eagles, with a groin injury.
He later underwent sports hernia surgery prior to the 2019 season, but he was slow to recover and experienced a setback in training camp.
Burton entered the league as an undrafted free agent with the Eagles. The tight end spent four years primarily as a backup in Philadelphia, but he's remembered for throwing a touchdown pass to quarterback Nick Foles on a trick play -- named the "Philly Special" -- in the Eagles' Super Bowl LII victory over the Patriots.
ESPN's Mike Wells and Jeff Dickerson contributed to this report.