There’s no question that Brian Burns is about to get paid, and the Carolina Panthers certainly seem intent on starting up those new checks pretty soon. But what are the numbers on those checks going to look like?
According to NFL insider Ari Meirov of The 33rd Team, Burns’ expected extension should surpass what the Miami Dolphins gave fellow pass rusher Bradley Chubb last year. Heck, it could even approach what star Myles Garrett has from the Cleveland Browns.
Meirov writes:
Brian Burns is entering the final year of his rookie contract, and the Carolina Panthers have made it abundantly clear he’s a big part of their future.
The Rams offered two first-round picks and a second-round pick for Burns before last year’s trade deadline, only for Carolina to decline. The Bears then wanted Burns in offers for the No. 1 overall pick, but Carolina made it clear he’s off-limits.
The former first-round pick out of Florida State led the Panthers in sacks last season with 12.5 and has totaled 38 sacks during the first four years of his career. The team has big plans for him as it transitions from a 4-3 base defense to a 3-4 under new defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero.
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.
That $25 million annual value currently ranks as the third-highest average amongst all edge defenders. Only Pittsburgh’s T.J. Watt ($28 million) and Los Angeles’ Joey Bosa ($27 million) are raking in more cash per year.
Now, yes, Burn’s production and overall game may not yet be on the same level as that of a Watt, Bosa or Garrett. But if you’re doing good business, sometimes you’re paying for what you’ll get—not for what you’ve already gotten.
And if the Panthers have already gotten a two-time Pro Bowler in Burns, they could be getting a whole lot more out of the 25-year-old and his ascending stock.
