With no new deal in place, Brian Burns seems to be holding out without actually holding out. But, uh, things are getting a tad uncomfortable at the moment.
The worry began at the end of last week, when the Carolina Panthers outside linebacker sat out a portion of Thursday’s practice session. It then intensified a bit on Labor Day, when he sat out of Monday’s walkthrough.
And now, according to multiple reports from Tuesday, it feels as though an agreement between the two-time Pro Bowl pass rusher and the team is far from close. Nonetheless, one of the league’s top insiders doesn’t believe the sitting out will continue into Sunday—with or without a new pact.
MMQB senior reporter Albert Breer threw in his two cents about the ongoing contract tango between Panthers and Burns, who is seeking a fresh big-money deal. Breer, upon noting that the leverage sits firmly in favor of the standout defender, thinks Burns will still be on the field against the Atlanta Falcons this Sunday.
He writes:
Third, there’s the fact that Carolina has a new coaching staff, and investment from the locker room is important as a result of that. And along those lines, other guys are watching how the team handles Burns. Do I think Burns will miss Sunday’s opener? No. But skipping practice does give everyone a look at how things look without him in Ejiro Evero’s new defense, and that can, for sure, have an effect on things.
Head coach Frank Reich told reporters on Monday that he was unsure about Burns’ availability for the opener if an agreement is not reached.
“I’m at the stage in this where I’m not involved in the contract negotiation. At all. Zero,” he said. “Mr. Tepper and Scott [Fitterer] asked me my views of certain things. I’ve expressed my views.
“I’m just worried about gettin’ our team ready to play Atlanta. Really. That’s all that’s on my mind. And do I hope he’s there? Absolutely I hope he’s there. But if he’s not there, I’m not worried about it. Just move forward.”
Despite the absences, Burns has not indicated that he plans on holding out from any actual games. In fact, he’s stated that he’s “got to be here.”
So, we’ll have to see what Wednesday’s soft deadline (or at least the one provided by linebacker Shaq Thompson) will bring.
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