The Carolina Panthers initially placed the franchise tag on star pass-rusher Brian Burns last week after the two sides were unable to come to an agreement on a long-term contract extension.
But on Monday, Burns was dealt to the New York Giants in exchange for two draft picks, and he agreed to sign a five-year, $141 million contract extension.
Country music star Luke Combs, a native North Carolinian and longtime Panthers fan, subsequently blasted the franchise for its inability to land premium draft compensation when its star players leave town.
“[Panthers] WHAT ARE WE DOING?!?!? No first round pick for McCaffrey a few years back and now none for Burns?!?! Are we just fire bombing the whole team here or what? I usually don’t comment on these kinds of things but it’s just becoming slow torture at this point,” Combs posted on X, formerly Twitter.
.@Panthers WHAT ARE WE DOING?!?!? No first round pick for McCaffrey a few years back and now none for Burns?!?! Are we just fire bombing the whole team here or what? I usually don’t comment on these kinds of things but it’s just becoming slow torture at this point.
— Luke Combs 🎤 (@lukecombs) March 12, 2024
To add insult to loss for Combs, the Panthers were unable to get the most out of rookie quarterback Bryce Young last season, while C.J. Stroud of the Houston Texans and Anthony Richardson of the Indianapolis Colts showed far more promise than last year’s No. 1 pick.
Perhaps the turnaround story for the Panthers will begin in 2024, but the frustration in the fan base, especially with Combs, is palpable.
