On Tuesday morning, the Carolina Panthers did the expected and officially placed the franchise tag on outside linebacker Brian Burns. Yeah, we all knew it would happen, right?
But what some may not know is the detail behind what type of tag it is—the non-exclusive one.
As opposed to the exclusive tag, in which the Panthers would be the only team allowed to negotiate with Burns, the non-exclusive tag opens up potential business for the rest of the league. So, yes, the two-time Pro Bowl pass rusher is allowed to talk to and even agree upon a new contract with a new organization.
Now, what if he does?
Well, if Burns gets to that point, the Panthers will be given the opportunity to match the agreement and sign him to that very pact. If the Panthers decide they don’t want to match an offer Burns could get elsewhere, they will get two first-round picks from the team that signs him.
Given that Burns would cost a major long-term deal as well as two first-round picks for another franchise, this scenario is quite unlikely. Heck, teams rushed to announce that they didn’t want to touch MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson last offseason when he was under the non-exclusive tag. (Update: He’s added another MVP since then.)
As of now, Burns is sitting at a $24 million price tag for the 2024 campaign and will have some extra time (132 days, to be exact) to finally find a real compromise in Carolina.
