So, um, it seems as though the Los Angeles Rams offered the Carolina Panthers more than just two first-round picks for Brian Burns.
A Sunday morning report from CBS Sports lead NFL insider Jonathan Jones details that the reigning, defending Super Bowl champions not only put a pair of firsts on the table for the Pro Bowl pass rusher, but a future second to boot!
“The Rams put up their 2024 first, 2025 first and a 2023 second-round pick in an attempt to secure Burns from Carolina,” Jones writes. “The Panthers and GM Scott Fitterer, as we know, said no.
“It’s a significant package Carolina turned down, albeit one that was easier to reject with no 2023 first-round pick. A Carolina source told CBS Sports the team didn’t like its prospects of replacing Burns any time soon.”
Jones also included a quote from a team source:
“‘When you look at free agency and the draft, there’s not a lot coming up, especially compared to the player Brian is,’ the source said. ‘We didn’t think we could replace Brian Burns.'”
Well, this person isn’t exactly wrong.
A quick look to the list of upcoming 2023 free agents at the defensive end position shows there isn’t much to get excited over. In fact, most of the top players—J.J, Watt, Robert Quinn, Brandon Graham and Jadeveon Clowney—will all be at least 30 years old by next spring.
There is, however, plenty to get excited over when it comes to the budding 24-year-old star in Burns.