Tag: Brian Burns

Panthers DT Derrick Brown asked if Brian Burns trade worried him

Derrick Brown was asked if the trade of Brian Burns concerned him before reaching a new deal with the Panthers.

Derrick Brown had every right to question his status with the Carolina Panthers after last month’s trade of Brian Burns. But it seems like he never even had the chance to do so.

On Monday, Brown chatted with local reporters for the first time since signing his four-year, $96 million extension. Joe Person of The Athletic asked him if the team’s parting with his fellow standout defender raised any concerns about his standing in Carolina moving forward.

“I didn’t really know what was going on in the offseason,” Brown replied. “Kinda just stayed away from it. Let my agent handle it. I spent the offseason doing what I normally do—being a dad and training. So when the opportunity came about and the contract talks started, then I was excited and then it got done.”

While Brown was doing what we normally does, the Panthers shipped out Burns to the New York Giants. After failing to reach common ground with the organization on his long-term aspirations, the two-time Pro Bowl pass rusher found what he was looking for in New York—agreeing to a five-year, $141 million pact.

This wasn’t the first time the Panthers traded a first-round pick either. Before Burns, running back Christian McCaffrey and wide receiver DJ Moore were also included in a couple of tough deals.

So, yeah, Brown very well could’ve been next.

But as far as what Brown was looking for, he’s obviously found it right here in Carolina.

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PODCAST: Which path should Giants take in 2024 NFL draft?

This week on the Giants Wire Podcast, we look ahead to the 2024 NFL draft and offer our opinion while also breaking down free agency.

This week on the Giants Wire Podcast, we discuss the 2024 NFL draft and what the New York Giants might do in Round 1.

Will general manager Joe Schoen trade up? How about down? Will he stand pat and take a top-end wide receiver or hope a potential quarterback falls to him? We weigh those options and offer our take.

We also discuss the free-agent losses of running back Saquon Barkley and safety Xavier McKinney. Which was worse? And can Devin Singletary replace Barkley’s production?

Additionally, we evaluate the addition of edge rusher Brian Burns and break down what it means for the defense — specifically nose tackle Dexter Lawrence and linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux.

Those topics (and more) are discussed in the latest episode of the Giants Wire Podcast, which is hosted by Ryan O’Leary (@RyanO_Leary on X) and joined by site editor Dan Benton (@TheGiantsWire).

The Giants Wire Podcast will air every week during the regular season and occasionally throughout the offseason. You can listen below:

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Panthers projected defensive depth chart heading into April

The Panthers defense looks quite different than it did compared to this time last offseason.

While the Carolina Panthers could have another move or two up their sleeve, (we’re looking at you, Stephon Gilmore), the major waves of free agency have crashed.

The hectic tides brought a ton of change for the team, especially on defense. Linebackers Brian Burns, Frankie Luvu and Yetur Gross-Matos, cornerback Donte Jackson and safeties Jeremy Chinn and Vonn Bell were amongst the many names that have now washed away.

But those waters also turned up some new and exciting ones.

So, as we head out of March and further towards the 2024 NFL draft, here is our projected defensive depth chart for the Panthers:

1st 2nd 3rd 4th
DE Derrick Brown LaBryan Ray
DT Shy Tuttle Nick Thurman
DE A’Shawn Robinson Raequan Williams
OLB Jadeveon Clowney K’Lavon Chaisson Amaré Barno Luiji Vilain
LB Shaq Thompson Chandler Wooten Claudin Cherelus
LB Josey Jewell Tae Davis
OLB D.J. Wonnum DJ Johnson
CB Jaycee Horn D’Shawn Jamison Lamar Jackson
CB Dane Jackson Dicaprio Bootle
SS Xavier Woods Jammie Robinson Sam Franklin Jr.
FS Jordan Fuller Nick Scott Alex Cook
NCB Troy Hill AJ Parker

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Giants’ Brian Burns named one of ‘riskiest contracts’ of 2024

The five-year, $141 million contract given to Brian Burns by the New York Giants has been named one of the riskiest deals of 2024.

The New York Giants made a big splash early in free agency, acquiring edge rusher Brian Burns from the Carolina Panthers.

The trade was contingent on the Giants signing Burns to a new contract, which they did, agreeing to a five-year, $141 million deal.

That’s a whole lot of money for the 25-year-old Burns, which has some skeptical of the trade. Among them is Gary Davenport of Bleacher Report, who named the Burns deal among the NFL’s eight riskiest contracts of 2024.

Burns has already been named to a pair of Pro Bowls and logged 12.5 sacks as recently as two years ago.

But Burns is now the second-highest-paid edge-rusher in the league in terms of average annual salary. He makes more per season than T.J. Watt of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Myles Garrett of the Cleveland Browns. His cap hit will spike to almost $30 million in 2025.

And that 12.5-sack 2022 season is the only time Burns has hit double digits.

Burns has been highly productive throughout his career despite having very little talent around him. In New York, he’ll be paired with Kayvon Thibodeaux and Dexter Lawrence, allowing him to operate more freely. The contract given to him by the Giants is reflective of what they believe he can do rather than what he’s already done.

As general manager Joe Schoen often says, “scared money doesn’t make money.”

The Giants are banking on Burns to be money.

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The Carolina Panthers are all in on Bryce Young this season

The Carolina Panthers have proven that they’re all in on Bryce Young’s development in Year 2. How will that manifest itself on the field?

It’s always a good sign in the NFL when a team can learn from its own mistakes and adjust moving forward. This is especially true given the recent history of the Carolina Panthers and their historically stubborn owner David Tepper who have routinely bumbled the most important position in football since Tepper arrived in Charlotte back in 2018. Heading into the 2024 offseason, it appears Tepper and the Panthers have committed in making sure their current quarterback has the best possibility for success moving forward.

Now entering his second season after being the first overall pick the year previous, quarterback Bryce Young becomes the first quarterback since Cam Newton to be the Week 1 starter in consecutive seasons. Given Young’s first season was a bit disastrous, in large part thanks to an abysmal supporting cast, the Panthers are intent on maximizing ways for their young leader to succeed.

Carolina has spent this offseason dumping money into what was their biggest weaknesses from last season on the offensive side of the ball in an effort to ensure Bryce Young has everything he needs to develop as their starting quarterback. Dumping $153 million dollars in contracts for guards Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis in free agency, as well as snagging one of the best separating receivers in the league from the Steelers in a trade in Diontae Johnson.

These moves to dump resources into the offense have come at a bit of a cost however. Three of Carolina’s best players on the defensive side of the ball have departed via free agency or trade. Brian Burns, Frankie Luvu, and Jeremy Chinn have been staples of this defense for years and were large contributors into making it a respectable unit. It takes maturity to understand how to build around your young quarterback and understanding the sacrifices that have to be made to do that. Building from the outside in to make sure your investment in Young reaps profits is one investor move Tepper certainly has right.

2024 NFL draft: Who were the last 25 prospects taken at No. 16 overall?

Let’s review the last 25 prospects who were selected at No. 16 overall in the draft.

The Seahawks currently hold the No. 16 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft. That might not be high enough to get them an elite quarterback prospect or a blue-chip defender. However, a lot of special players have been taken at that spot historically and if your team can’t manage to land a good pick there then you need a new general manager. Let’s review the last 25 prospects who were selected at No. 16 overall in the draft.

Along the way you will see a lot of great cornerbacks, a few legendary edge rushers, a couple excellent offensive linemen and one all-time great safety.

2024 NFL mock draft: 2 teams trade up into top 10 for QBs

GM Dan Morgan explains why Panthers traded Brian Burns

Panthers GM Dan Morgan gave a little insight into why he pulled the trigger on the Brian Burns trade.

Dan Morgan wasn’t handed an easy job when he was named the new president of football operations and general manager of the Carolina Panthers. In fact, he just had to make one of the most difficult decisions this franchise has faced in quite some time.

Two weeks ago, Morgan and the Panthers traded away star pass rusher Brian Burns to the New York Giants. The move effectively put an end to the year-long stalemate in contract talks and awarded the two-time Pro Bowler the massive big-money deal he was looking for.

On Thursday, through a Zoom call from the NFL’s Annual League Meeting, Morgan explained why the team pulled the trigger on what he described as a “tough decision.”

“You know, those are always difficult conversations and, and decisions that you have to make from the seat that I’m in,” he said, via Darin Gantt of Panthers.com. “We love Brian. The player he is, the person he is, but sometimes you’ve got to make tough decisions, and the salary cap along with draft capital that we got, we felt like it was, you know, time to pull the trigger and make a move.

“We felt like the timing was right. And yeah, those are always tough decisions, but we had to make it, and we feel OK about it.”

In return for Burns, the Panthers received the 39th overall pick of the upcoming draft, a pick swap of the 141st and 166th selections and a 2025 fifth-rounder.

The trade also opened up approximately $24 million in salary cap space for Carolina, who had placed the franchise tag on Burns the week prior to the swap.

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Could Giants’ defensive line be elite in 2024?

Pro Football Focus believes the New York Giants’ defensive line could be “elite” in 2024 after the team acquired edge rusher Brian Burns.

With the addition of edge rusher Brian Burns, acquired via trade from the Carolina Panthers early in free agency, the New York Giants’ defensive line appears vastly improved on paper.

PFF recently highlighted a positive takeaway for all 32 teams following the free agency period and unsurprisingly, it was that very D-line for the Giants.

NEW YORK GIANTS: THE DEFENSIVE LINE COULD BE ELITE

Dexter Lawrence is one of the best players in football, and Kayvon Thibodeaux has a ton of talent. The Giants still needed a bookend to alleviate the onus on him to be the premier pass rusher, though.

The team subsequently took a massive swing on Brian Burns. At his peak, Burns is a durable, elite pass rusher capable of taking over games. He just needs to play at that level more consistently to justify his massive new contract. One thing working in his favor is new defensive coordinator Shane Bowen’s scheme, which should allow Burns to play more often from a three-point stance as opposed to being an outside linebacker.

New defensive coordinator Shane Bowen’s scheme may not only benefit Burns’ style of play but Kayvon Thibodeaux’s as well.

Last season, Thibodeaux had 11.5 sacks and there were plenty of times where some felt he was being dropped back into coverage too much in Wink Martindale’s defense.

The addition of Burns is a big one for the Giants’ defense in general. However, Burns is also joining a talented defensive line — likely the best of his career playing alongside one of the league’s best in Dexter Lawrence.

The Giants’ defensive line has certainly improved on paper but we won’t know how elite that unit will be until they hit the field.

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The Xs and Os with Greg Cosell: Wrapping up NFL free agency for 2024

2024 NFL free agency is just about in the books, so it’s time for Greg Cosell and Doug Farrar to analyze the biggest transactions in the second wave.

Now that most of NFL free agency for the 2024 league year is in the bag — though there are a few helpful players still on the open market — it’s time for Greg Cosell of NFL Films and ESPN’s NFL Matchup, and Doug Farrar of Touchdown Wire, to recap the biggest and most important moves in the second wave of this free agency phase. Greg and Doug covered the first day of free agency last week in the Xs and Os; here’s the conclusion.

Among the discussion points:

  • What does Brian Burns bring to a Giants defensive line that already has Kayvon Thibodeaux and Dexter Lawrence?
  • Can Justin Fields become the best version of himself in the Steelers’ offense?
  • Conversely, can Kenny Pickett turn his career around with the Eagles?
  • How can Calvin Ridley use his true X-Iso skill set to ramp up the Titans’ offense?
  • Can the Texans’ addition of Danielle Hunter, along with Will Anderson Jr. and Denico Autry, make Houston’s defensive line a Super Bowl-level group?
  • What can Hollywood Brown do for the Chiefs?
  • Tyron Smith is a future Hall of Famer, but what will he be able to do for the Jets’ offensive line in the short term?
  • Chase Young has been an inconsistent pass-rusher throughout his NFL career; can he turn it around with the Saints?
  • The Lions made important additions to their defensive line and their secondary; can all that put them over the top?
  • The Falcons already have a ton of weapons for new quarterback Kirk Cousins. How will the addition of receiver Rondale Moore affect what looks like one of like the NFL’s most explosive offenses (in theory, at least)?

You can watch this week’s “Xs and Os” right here:

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You can also listen and subscribe to the “Xs and Os” podcast on Spotify…

…and on Apple Podcasts.

Panthers OLB D.J. Wonnum on replacing Brian Burns: ‘I’m not looking to replace anybody’

New Panthers OLB D.J. Wonnum isn’t looking to be the next Brian Burns in Carolina. He’s looking to be the best version of D.J. Wonnum.

D.J. Wonnum isn’t looking to be anyone but D.J. Wonnum.

On Monday, local reporters got the chance to talk to Wonnum—fresh off the signing of his two-year, $12.5 million deal with the Carolina Panthers. He began his Zoom call with a question from Mike Kaye of The Charlotte Observer, who asked why he chose to sign with the organization.

“Going into the free agency process, obviously there was a lot going on and a lot took place within that week,” Wonnum answered. “Once Carolina was brought up upon my representation, it was just like a light that just got bright. I was excited to go down there.

“And once I was down there, it was everything I thought it would be—as far as the coaches welcoming me, just having those talks and meetings with them and basically them telling me that I’m a big key or a big part of what they wanna do in the future. The words and the actions lined up. So I was excited to be here. Obviously, it’s closer to home and I went to college down the street. So, it just made sense.”

Wonnum attended the nearby University of South Carolina from 2016 to 2019. The Stone Mountain, Ga. native collected 29.5 sacks during that time, including a 13.5-sack output in 2017.

The 2020 fourth-round pick has gone on to amass 23.0 sacks for the Minnesota Vikings over the last four seasons. And although the 26-year-old’s stock is ascending following a career campaign, he’s not focused on what was in Carolina before he got there.

“Well, I’m not looking to replace anybody,” Wonnum replied when later asked if he’s hoping to replace Brian Burns. “I’m looking to be the best version of myself, the best player I know I can be. And obviously, the film that I’ve put out there, I can be an every-down starter.

“I can play the run, I can pass rush, I can drop in coverage, I can do whatever coach wants me to do. Obviously going here and coming here, I’ll be able to showcase that. And the future is bright for myself and the Carolina Panthers.”

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