Browns FB Michael Burton: Everything you need to know about new free agent addition

Take a look at this Cleveland Browns projected 53-man roster. There is something odd. Did you notice? The three quarterbacks listed with Shedeur Sanders perhaps in the lead lane? Nope. All of the drafted rookies are included. Of course. Mike Hall, Jr. is still not listed as a starting defensive tackle? Yeah, that stings using a second-round pick on him. Ronnie Hickman’s name is listed despite neither “officially” being on the current roster. Wait a second, Tylan Wallace signed in free agency as the new return man, yet he is listed as third team?

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All good guesses, but not what we are after.

Look at the running back group. Three guys, right? But no fullback is listed. And yet, the Browns have a fullback on their training camp roster. No, really, they do, as of Monday: Veteran Michael Burton.

Yes, it is rare for NFL clubs to even have a fullback these days. Very few teams even use one, and the ones that are still in the league seem to make the Pro Bowl every year. Kyle Juszczyk of the San Francisco 49ers is the league’s poster child for the position, followed by the former Baltimore Ravens’ Patrick Ricard, who has followed his old ball coach to the New York Football Giants.

It wasn’t too many years ago that the Browns had two fullbacks in every camp competing for which one would remain. Fans loved guys like Andy Janovich and Johnny Stanton. And they all use one of those funky “40-something” numbers. Starting RB Nick Chubb loved having that extra blocker in front of him and taking out the most dangerous defender.

Keep in mind, both Jim Brown and Marion Motley were listed as fullbacks.

Then one day, the true fullbacks just disappeared. One season, they were competing for a single roster spot, and the next, these blocking backs became teachers and real estate agents, or worked in their dad’s store back home.

The Browns simply substituted another guy when they needed another blocker. Center Nick Harris filled in, as did OG Michael Dunn, TE Giovannie Ricci, and now DT Adin Huntington. These guys were looked at as more of a jumbo bundle without any possibility of getting a handoff or that emergency flare out in the flats for a short pass.

But Cleveland’s new head coach, Todd Monken, uses a fullback. He did the past three seasons in Baltimore, and it’s what he is used to. It was thought that Browns GM Andrew Berry would select a fullback in this year’s NFL draft, but the event came and went, and no fullback.

Instead, he took out his list of available free agent fullbacks and called Burton’s agent. Now, he is on a flight to Berea with the probability of employment this upcoming season.

Problem solved? Who is this dude? Why did Berry sign him? What can Browns fans expect?

Beginnings

Burton, age 34, grew up in Long Valley, which is a part of Washington Township, New Jersey, but unincorporated in Morris County. He was a four-year starter at running back for West Morris Central High School’s football team. He started playing as a young kid and played quarterback and running back.

As a senior, Burton rushed for 1,769 yards on 200 carries and scored 20 touchdowns. He was also very involved in the passing attack and scored an additional seven TDs. He also returned kickoffs. West Morris won the state championship that year.

At season’s end, Burton’s accolades:

Star-Ledger Morris County Player of the Year
Daily Record Player of the Year
MVP of the state title game
Set 10 school season and career records

His parents are Peter and Adrianna Burton, with a sister, Lyndsay. His father was a standout running back at Susquehanna University. Lyndsay played college basketball at Johns Hopkins University and was named an All-American in 2010.

Burton is married to Kirsten with two daughters and a son. The couple is Christian.

Despite his impressive statistics in high school, plus all of the accolades, Burton received plenty of offers from Lehigh, Maine, Monmouth, New Hampshire, Towson State, Delaware, and Temple. He had unofficial visits with Syracuse and Pitt, but no significant D-1 offers.

He wanted to be involved in D-1 and accepted an offer to walk on at Rutgers. Burton ended up starting 24 of the 30 games in which he appeared. His parents moved to be close to him during his college career.

While at Rutgers, they switched him to a hybrid tight end/fullback position, and instead of sitting, he played. In his sophomore year, he was on the starting offense as the team’s fullback. His role was to block and catch passes. A knee injury ended his season.

He came back in his junior and senior years with a vengeance. He was viewed as a throwback fullback and a punishing blocker who would get carries on occasion and be involved in the passing game. He ran the 40 in 4.65.

Burton was well-known for the importance of a work ethic. He took it very seriously. He became a film junky. He practiced hard: lifting, running, and the usual sort of stuff.

On to the NFL

The Detroit Lions selected him in the fifth round of the 2015 NFL draft as a fullback/tight end. His versatility was key. Nothing individual, no personal goals. It was all about the team and winning a championship.

Burton (6’-0”, 247 pounds) signed a contract worth $2.46 million with a $184,356 signing bonus. He came to the rookie mini-camp with enthusiasm and was excited to get out there and learn the playbook in order to start to become a better football player.