What Would a Brian Burns Contract Extension Look Like?
The Carolina Panthers will be near the top 10 in cap space next offseason but much of that available money will be allocated to re-signing/extending their own players rather than going out and adding to the roster.
Make no mistake, GM Scott Fitterer will constantly add new pieces to the team but he'll place an emphasis on bringing back guys like Frankie Luvu, Brian Burns, Jeremy Chinn, and potentially DJ Chark.
Burns, we can all assume, will be No. 1 on the list of priorities. In fact, it's probably something the two sides are already discussing. So, if/when the deal does get done, what could it look like? According to Ari Meirov of The 33rd Team, it will be one that makes Burns one of the highest-paid defensive players in the league.
"An extension for Burns should surpass the five-year, $110 million deal Bradley Chubb signed after he was traded to Miami, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if it hovers around Myles Garrett’s $25 million AAV."
Paying a player north of $20 million/year is a big commitment but when it comes to Burns, it's terrific value and in my opinion, 100% worth every dollar. Through the first four years of his career, Burns has played through a number of minor injuries and has only missed three games. He stays on the field and he's been extremely productive regardless of the defensive scheme or how much help he has on the opposite side.
To win consistently, you need to have a top-10 defense, and that all starts up front with the pass rush. You're not going to find another Brian Burns out there in free agency. Fitterer knows the importance of having him in Carolina long-term and said so a couple of months back.
"There's a reason why we didn't move him. We met with his agent. We didn't get into details or really talk about him, we'll address that when we get there. But Brian Burns, he is one of the most dominant pass rushers. He's young. One of the most athletic guys. And he still has a ton of upside when it comes to adding more strength, playing with more technique. That's all there. The sky is in front of him. He's a huge impact player."
Burns, who just turned 25 in April, has already accumulated 196 tackles, 77 QB hits, 43 tackles for loss, 38 sacks, 11 pass breakups, and seven forced fumbles. In 2022, he posted the best season posting career highs in tackles (63), QB hits (22), tackles for loss (17), and sacks (12.5).
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