While the 2023 regular-season opener is drawing nearer, a deal between the Carolina Panthers and Brian Burns seemingly is not.
According to Will Kunkel of FOX 26 Houston (formerly of FOX Charlotte), the two sides have gotten “no closer” to a contraction extension on Saturday.
Buy Panthers TicketsUpdate: The Panthers and Brian Burns are no closer to a contract extension today, per source.
Personally, I don’t see why Brian Burns would play vs Falcons if he’s looking for a new deal. Doesn’t make any sense to “hold-in” and then play.
— Will Kunkel (@WillKunkelFOX) September 9, 2023
Burns, who is waiting on a long-term agreement with the team he’s become a two-time Pro Bowler for, has remained mostly silent on the matter leading up to the Week 1 clash against the Atlanta Falcons. He did, however, post the following cryptic Instagram story yesterday afternoon:
A bit earlier on in the day, head coach Frank Reich told reporters he had “no updates” on the situation. He went on to state the confidence he has in his team for Sunday.
“I feel very confident,” he said of his defense’s depth. “Feel very confident in our team, excited about our team.
“Listen, everybody wants a full squad out there and no injuries to deal with or no absences to deal with, but this is the NFL. Like, we’ve said it, you guys know it equally as much as I do—this is just normal life in the NFL.”