'No Updates' on Panthers Pass Rusher Brian Burns

No one inside the Carolina Panthers building has any idea as to whether or not outside linebacker Brian Burns will play in the season opener in Atlanta on Sunday. Burns missed last Thursday's practice and the team's walkthrough on Monday before returning each of the last three days.

Contract talks are ongoing, but it remains unclear if Burns will play without a new deal getting done ahead of kickoff

"No updates. Appreciate and respect the question, but no further updates," said head coach Frank Reich following Friday's practice. "Brian's handled it like a pro. He's practiced. He had the one or two days where he didn't. Other than that, it's been the same course of business. He's been the professional that he is., so I'm just going to leave it at that."

If Burns decides to pull a Chris Jones and sit the first game, the Panthers will more than likely use a three-man rotation of Yetur Gross-Matos, Amaré Barno, and rookie DJ Johnson. Reich declined to say who would start in Burns' place but did note his trust in that group.

"Feel very confident. Feel very confident in our team. Excited about our team. Everybody wants a full squad out there and no injuries to deal with or no absences to deal with, but this is the NFL. This is just normal life in the NFL. We'll get ready to play and when we get there Sunday, the guys that are there will go out and do everything we can to win a football game."

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