5 big observations from practice Day 2 at Panthers training camp
By Dean Jones
Brian Burns is making his presence felt
The spotlight is well and truly on Brian Burns heading into his third season with the Carolina Panthers. This is something the former first-round pick is fully aware of and has been working incredibly hard during the offseason in pursuit of reaching a completely different level.
Burns looks noticeably more imposing at training camp. The Florida State product reportedly put on 12 pounds of muscle away from the team this spring, leaving plenty of hope surrounding a substantial increase in numbers next time around.
The Panthers are counting on Burns to deliver the goods. He certainly looks explosive during the early part of Carolina’s camp, with the player working both as a 4-3 defensive end and a pass-rushing outside linebacker opposite Haason Reddick in a 3-4 scheme.
This ability to interchange is something the Panthers could utilize more prominently in 2021 thanks to the weapons at Phil Snow’s disposal. Something the defensive coordinator tried last season but didn’t get a great deal of success from.
That being said, Burns will be at the heart of everything good coming the team’s way during the upcoming campaign. Imposing his will on camp is just the start for what should hopefully be a season littered with memorable moments from the player’s perspective.