4 Panthers players who have a chance to make All-Pro in 2021
By Jason Huber
Brian Burns – Carolina Panthers DE
Entering his third season in the league, Brian Burns is one of the top breakout candidates on the Carolina Panthers roster heading into 2021.
At just 23-years-old, Burns took a huge leap forward in his sophomore year in 2020, improving his pass-rush grade from 68.7 in 2019 to 86.9 last year, according to Pro Football Focus.
Burns had nine sacks, 21 quarterback hits, and 58 combined tackles last season and looks to make even more strides in 2021 with another offseason of development under his belt.
After an injury-riddled rookie year, last year’s production showed Burns will be looked upon even more this season to be the anchor of Carolina’s defensive which could propel him to be seen as one of the league’s top edge-rushers.
Burns played some linebacker as well in 2020. But it’s expected he is utilized at his natural defensive position more this coming season.
With the addition of Hasson Reddick, Burns shouldn’t see as many double-teams, allowing him to be even more versatile.
He’ll have tough competition in pursuit of an All-Pro selection with guys like T.J. Watt, Myles Garrett, Joey and Nick Bosa in the league. But with Burns’ athleticism, anything is possible and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Florida State product take the NFL by storm in the coming months.