5 critical takeaways from Scott Fitterer’s post-free agency presser

Carolina Panthers will prioritize Brian Burns extension

Although it was pretty clear they were going to do so, general manager Scott Fitterer confirmed that the Carolina Panthers will be picking up Brian Burns‘ fifth-year option when the time comes. The defensive end is coming off his Pro Bowl campaign where he gained nine sacks and there could be even more to come once further adjustments are made to his game in the coming months.

Burns needs to improve gap discipline against the run and have more conviction to finish off plays effectively. However, the Panthers will now move forward with the former first-round pick as the team’s top edge rusher after deciding to let Haason Reddick leave in free agency for the Philadelphia Eagles.

Not only will Burns be with the Panthers through 2023, but Fitterer also stated that the organization would prioritize a long-term extension for the Florida State product in the not-too-distant future. A welcome development given the player’s increasingly influence on and off the field in Carolina.

"“There’s always more on the table, but Brian would be one of those priorities moving forward. He’s a guy that’s come out and produced for us. I really like the leader he is becoming and the man that he is. He will be one of those guys that we definitely try to work on.”"

This is a good way to build a winning roster. Draft high-quality guys and reward them when they reach or even exceed their targets.