

The Facts: GM Ryan Pace revealed that Burton had surgery on his hip.
Diehards Line:
Pace’s announcement on Burton is the latest twist in an ongoing injury saga that started before the Bears’ playoff game against the Eagles last January. He was a late scratch for that game and then had offseason sports hernia surgery. The Bears brought him back slowly in training camp, only for Pace to announce in Week 1 that he suffered a new minor groin injury. Burton, in the second season of a four-year, $32 million contract, missed the opener against the Packers and never appeared to play healthy, totaling 14 catches for 84 yards in eight games. The Bears placed him on injured reserve in mid-November, and Pace said he recently had surgery to repair the labrum in his hip. Pace said it has been “a fluid process” to figure out what was ailing Burton. “He never felt full speed to us,” Pace said. “So being thorough with it — second opinions, other doctors, working with his agent, working with us, our trainers — this is something that we’re hoping is the underlying issue. This is a different area where he had the surgery. … And we’re hoping that’s going to solve it.” Pace said it is the goal for Burton to return by training camp.