Carolina Panthers and Brian Burns heading for contract collision

The Carolina Panthers and Brian Burns are on a contract collision course after they resisted trade offers for the defensive end before the 2022 deadline. 

It came as no surprise to see plenty of interest in Brian Burns before the trade deadline. After firing head coach Matt Rhule and shifting Robbie Anderson and Christian McCaffrey to pastures new, this saw the vultures circle regarding the possibility of strengthening their roster with some top young stars that the Carolina Panthers have at their disposal.

Considering the production Burns has demonstrated this season, the price was obviously steep. The Panthers reportedly turned down an offer of two first-round selections and running back Cam Akers from the Los Angeles Rams, which was a clear indication that those in power want to build around their current core rather than opting for a complete rebuild in 2023.

Had the Rams possessed a first-rounder next year, it might have been a different story. Although there’s just no telling how bad Carolina’s pass rush would be without Burns if he was moved at the midway point.

This backs the Panthers into a corner where Burns is concerned. They’ve laid their cards on the table regarding how much the former Florida State standout means to the franchise, which only strengthens his position when it’s time for the player’s representatives to begin contract negotiations next spring.

Burns is one of the league’s most explosive young edge rushers and has five sacks to his name through eight weeks. The 2019 first-round selection is also emerging as a prominent leader within the locker room to further enhance his status.

This has the makings of a collision course. Even though it doesn’t need to be.

Carolina knows they have to extend Burns after turning down such a lucrative trade offer from elsewhere. This obviously won’t go unnoticed by the player, either.

Time is on Carolina’s side, to a certain extent. They rightfully picked up Burns’ fifth-year option that will count $16 million against the salary cap in 2023, but the player will want some long-term security after firmly establishing himself as a key part of any success that could come the Panthers’ way under a new head coach.

Burns was no doubt taking a keen interest in the news emanating from Miami surrounding Bradley Chubb on Thursday. The AFC East team secured the prolific pass-rusher in a last-minute trade from the Denver Broncos and signed him to a five-year, $110 million deal with $63.2 million guaranteed just two days after.

Realistically, Burns is likely to want somewhere north of $20 million per season. A whopping figure whichever way one looks at it, but something the Panthers could afford with a rookie quarterback likely coming into the fold via the 2023 NFL Draft.

Others like Jeremy Chinn will also be looking for deals of their own in the not-too-distant future. So general manager Scott Fitterer and salary-cap guru Samir Suleiman have their work cut out keeping everyone happy while also focusing on the future.

The last fortnight has added further dollars to Burns’ likely demands. But elite pass-rushers don’t grow on trees and after making a big mistake letting Haason Reddick walk in free agency, Carolina has to keep him around no matter the cost.