Panthers Rumors

With the regular season underway, many notable extension-eligible players have turned the attention from contract talks to their performance on the field. Panthers edge rusher Brian Burns is among them.

Talks between Burns and the Panthers took place this offseason, but the parties never seemed on the verge of an agreement being reached. The 25-year-old was present for training camp, but his temporary absence in the build-up to Week 1 left his status in question until shortly before the season opener. Burns is now prepared to put that process in the rearview and pause negotiations until the winter. He will make $16MM on the fifth-year option in 2023.

“We haven’t really been in talks,” the Florida State alum said, via ESPN’s David Newton. “I told them once the season started I’m all about ball. I can’t give a thousand percent on the field and to my teammates if I’m still worried about contract negotiations.”

Burns added that he considered a training camp holdout at one point, a tactic which many players have employed to create leverage during extension talks. Instead of remaining absent from the team during the summer – or even into the start of the regular season, as Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones did for one week this year – Burns committed to playing this season without a new deal in hand. A notable gap is believed to exist with respect to asking price on what will be a lucrative accord, making it little surprise that negotiations will be tabled.

Notably, however, Newton notes that the Panthers are willing to carry on extension talks during the campaign. It will be interesting to see if either side changes its stance as the season plays out. Burns got off to a productive start in Week 1 with a pair of sacks, bringing his career total to 40 in 65 games. A strong season (like his second straight Pro Bowl year in 2022) would help his market value, and thus his chances of landing a deal close to the historic one Nick Bosa signed with the 49ers days before Week 1.

That pact carries a $34MM AAV, well outpacing the next highest edge rush deal (T.J. Watt‘s $28MM-per-year contract). The Panthers are believed to be targeting a Burns extension landing him closer to Maxx Crosby‘s annual compensation of $23.MM. A figure falling between those two baselines would come as little surprise if and when a deal is struck keeping Burns in Carolina, but it appears such a development will not take place for at least the next several months.

The offseason came and went with no extension for talented, young Panthers pass rusher Brian Burns. While the negotiations kept Burns out of some offseason participation, and potentially some practices before Week 1, they didn’t prevent him from making his season debut this past weekend in Atlanta. Despite Burns’ willingness not to hold out, it appears that the two sides were never close to an agreement on a new deal, according to David Newton of ESPN.

Head coach Frank Reich reportedly made it seem as if Burns not practicing in the team’s first two practices of the week was related to his contract after calling it a “personal matter.” He would go on to commend the consummate professionalism of Burns throughout the process of preparing for the season opener without committing to Burns’ participation in Week 1. Regardless, Burns showed up to practice for the remainder of the week and racked up two sacks in his first start of the year.

Many expected Burns’ representation to use Nick Bosa‘s extension with the 49ers as a measuring stick for a new deal. The reigning Defensive Player of the Year secured the largest commitment ever made to a player on that side of the ball (five years, $170MM with $88MM guaranteed), likely boosting the edge market as a whole. Burns was reported to be seeking an AAV similar to Bosa’s. Carolina is aiming for a pact averaging closer to Maxx Crosby‘s annual compensation ($23.5MM).

While Burns has struggled in other aspects of the game, he has proven to have elite pass rushing ability. As the market for pass rushers continue to rise, a strong contract year for Burns should only guarantee that he increases his asking price in free agency. A likely range for him to fall into is squarely between Bosa and Crosby and closer to the ranges of T.J. Watt and the older Joey Bosa ($28MM and $27MM, respectively).

Another likely scenario sees the Panthers attempting to franchise tag Burns to keep him away from the free agent market for an additional season. In an ideal world, the Panthers could avoid the potential of damaging their relationship with Burns by reaching an extension during the season and avoiding the need for the franchise tag. For now, though, the two parties may just need some time to step away and let the situation breathe before returning for more negotiations.