Despite being handed the franchise tag by the Carolina Panthers, it had been trending in the direction of Brian Burns being traded.
Burns, 25, and his now-former Panthers team had been struggling coming to terms on a contract extension. This dates back more than a calendar year.
So, it should not come as too much of a surprise that he is on the move. Per NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport, Burns has been traded to the New York Giants. Carolina acquires a second-and-fifth-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft for Burns.
In turn, the Giants hand Burns a five-year, $150 million contract with $87.5 million guaranteed. He’s now the second highest-paid edge rusher in the NFL behind Nick Bosa.
To say that this is a massive blockbuster would be an understatement. Burns now joins a Giants defensive front that includes stud young edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux as well as star defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence.
A first-round pick of the Panthers out of Florida State back in 2019, Burns has recorded 46 sacks in five NFL seasons. He earned Pro Bowl nods back in 2020 and 2021 before some minor struggles this past season (eight sacks).
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Brian Burns career stats: 95 QB hits, 59 tackles for loss, 46 sacks
The Giants were reeling earlier on Monday as the NFL free agent legal tampering period started. That included losing running back Saquon Barkley to the division-rival Philadelphia Eagles and star safety Xavier McKinney to the Green Bay Packers.
The Giants’ ability to land Burns in a blockbuster trade with Carolina creates one of the better defensive lines in the entire NFL.
In turn, that could help mask what is a questionable secondary for head coach Brian Daboll and Co.