5 best gifts that Marty Hurney leaves the Carolina Panthers
By Dean Jones
Brian Burns – Carolina Panthers DE
The 2019 NFL Draft was not Marty Hurney’s finest hour by any stretch of the imagination. But it did provide yet another first-rounder that can now be called a cornerstone to future success.
That player – of course – is Brian Burns.
Marty Hurney wasted no time in taking the former Florida State edge rusher at No. 16 overall and it was another inspired move. Burns showed some encouraging signs from a rotational role as a rookie before taking his game to completely new heights with more responsibility on his shoulders in 2020.
The Carolina Panthers parted ways with plenty of established veterans who were past their prime this offseason. That put more onus on Burns making the necessary strides forward and it is a task that has brought the very best out of him.
Burns currently has eight sacks, 56 tackles, 20 quarterback hits, seven tackles for loss, three forced fumbles, three passes defended, and 56 pressures during the campaign. He nothing short of terrorized Aaron Rodgers on the national stage last weekend to further boost his credentials and also has a lofty 78.0 grade from Pro Football Focus to show from an outstanding campaign to date.
The sky is the limit for Burns. If he continues this upward curve, he’ll be the NFL’s most prolific pass-rusher in no time at all.