Panthers reportedly agree to trade Pro Bowl pass rusher Brian Burns to Giants
The New York Giants have agreed to a deal to acquire Pro Bowl pass rusher Brian Burns from the Carolina Panthers, according to multiple media reports.
NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported that the Panthers will receive second- and fifth-round draft picks in return. The second-round pick will be the 39th in the upcoming draft. The fifth-round pick will be for 2025. A fifth-round pick swap is also reportedly included in the deal.
Burns will sign a five-year deal with $87.5 million in guaranteed money and a maximum value of $150 million, per the report. The move marks a significant upgrade to the New York pass rush as the Panthers part with one of their only star players.
Burns joins the Giants after making two Pro Bowls in five seasons with the Panthers. A first-round pick in 2019, he played his last season in Carolina on a $16 million team option on his rookie contract. The two sides failed to reach terms on a long-term deal, leading the Panthers to place a non-exclusive franchise tag on Burns for 2024 valued at $24 million.
The non-exclusive designation allowed Burns to negotiate with other teams in search of a long-term deal, opening the door for his trade to New York. Per his social media, Burns seems excited about the move to New York.
— Brian Burns (@Fire_Burns99) March 11, 2024
Panthers reportedly turned down better deal from Rams in 2022
The deal ends an ongoing saga in Charlotte that saw Burns and the Panthers fail to reach terms after Carolina reportedly rejected a lucrative trade offer from the Los Angeles Rams in 2022. The Rams reportedly offered Carolina two first-round draft picks and a second-round pick for Burns at the 2022 trade deadline.
The Panthers rejected that deal only to trade Burns to the Giants a season-plus later for a considerably lesser package.
What Burns brings to New York
Burns has been a consistent threat to quarterbacks since joining the NFL, tallying at least 7.5 sacks in each of his first five seasons. He posted nine sacks in 2021 en route to his first Pro Bowl, then tallied a career-high 12.5 in 2022 to earn his second Pro Bowl nod.
In 2023, Burns posted eight sacks, 18 quarterback hits, 50 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. The sack tally brought him to 46 for his career.
The trade replenishes some much-needed draft capital for the Panthers after they dealt multiple premium picks, including two first-rounders, to the Chicago Bears last offseason for the right to draft quarterback Bryce Young first overall. They'll still enter April's draft without a first-round pick.
