Healthier Trey Burton could help spring Bears’ offense

After shaking off the rust with 26 snaps Sunday against the Broncos, Bears tight end Trey Burton said he expects to be better Monday against the Redskins.

‘‘A lot better,’’ he said. ‘‘The whole [Broncos] game was rusty. I didn’t play very well. But I’m excited to get back out there.’’

The sooner Burton returns to full speed after a groin injury the better for the Bears’ offense, which is trying to snap out of an early-season funk. The Bears scored one touchdown total in back-to-back clunkers against the Packers and Broncos.

‘‘We’re so close,’’ quarterback Mitch Trubisky said.

That’s a common theme in the NFL. Every struggling offense thinks its close to breaking the dam if players only would execute. The Bears’ belief is backed by history: This offense ranked 11th in the NFL in points scored last season. But besides the generic, cliché solution — better execution — Burton’s return to form is a legitimate point of optimism. The offense just operates better with a quality, productive tight end. And only Burton can provide that for the Bears.

‘‘A big thing in this league, it all comes down to health,’’ Trubisky said. ‘‘If he’s getting better and better, I see him to be more of a focal point of this offense and a huge part of this offense, either getting the ball or opening up other guys. He definitely does a great job helping other guys get set and allowing us to play great team football.’’

Burton’s understanding of Nagy’s offense, his knack for the nuances of it and his versatility as a blocker and receiver make a difference. Even in a rusty performance in which he had only two receptions for five yards, Burton had a key block on Cordarrelle Patterson’s 46-yard run against the Broncos.

But it’s more than receiving and blocking. Burton makes the Bears’ offense better just by being in the huddle.

‘‘He’s just got that calmness about him that guys really get going or are motivated when he’s in the game,’’ Trubisky said. ‘‘So the more we can get him involved and get him in the game, it just helps get guys lined up.

‘‘Guys seem to play better because the defense has to take notice that Trey is in the game. I think it just opens up more one-on-one things. And he gets open for me.’’

Burton had 54 receptions for 569 yards and six touchdowns last season, including nine receptions for 126 yards and a touchdown in the Bears’ 37-31 loss to the Patriots. But when Burton missed the Bears’ wild-card playoff game against the Eagles because of a groin injury, the offense struggled against a defense that ranked 23rd in the NFL in a 16-15 loss at Soldier Field.

Asked how a healthy Burton helps the offense, coach Matt Nagy pointed to the ‘‘veteran, calming presence that he has in the huddle.’’ Perhaps Nagy didn’t want to give up any offensive/schematic information, but he sold the point well.

‘‘Trey’s personality as a veteran that’s been on a big stage before . . . it’s just nice to have a guy that’s been in those roles,’’ Nagy said. ‘‘So he can come in and he can keep guys going, and I think when you have that presence and you know who Trey is a person, he brings that off-the-field personality into the huddle.’’

It’s hard to tell whether Burton’s calmness or his ability to get open and catch a football is what the Bears need most. Probably both at this point.

‘‘We’ll get it figured out,’’ Burton said. ‘‘None of us is panicking by any means.’’