Is the plot thickening between Brian Burns and the Carolina Panthers?
The star sack artist was present, but did not participate in Thursday’s practice—and it wasn’t because he wasn’t able. It may have been more of a case of if he was willing, as head coach Frank Reich described the absence as a “personal matter.”
“I’ll just refer that to Brian,” he said when asked if the matter was contract related. “It’s impossible for me to have more respect than I do for Brian. So, that’s his personal matters.
“And anyway, secondly, it’s a matter of policy. It’s not my role to talk about contracts—even if that’s what it was.”
Burns, who is coming off his second straight Pro Bowl nod, is seeking a long-term deal. He is currently entering the 2023 campaign on his fifth-year option, one that’ll pay out just over $16 million for the season.
Despite both sides publicly acknowledging that they want to reach an agreement, there seems to be a holdup from making it happen. That domino could fall, however, as soon as the reigning Defensive Player of the Year gets his business taken care of out west.
