4 pressing items for Carolina Panthers GM Scott Fitterer in 2023
By Dean Jones
Carolina Panthers must extend Brian Burns
Scott Fitterer was not entertaining the thought of trading Brian Burns before the deadline. Many thought there would be an exodus as the Carolina Panthers hit the reset button in the wake of Matt Rhule’s firing, but the general manager held firm to keep the team’s core intact.
The Los Angeles Rams offered two first-round picks and a 2023 second-rounder for Burns, which was refused. It became a topic of heated debate among the fanbase, but prolific pass-rushers are hard to replace as the Panthers experienced when they let Haason Reddick walk in free agency last year.
Burns has a career season and earned his second-straight Pro Bowl honor. His influence on and off the field in Carolina continues to grow, so working out a lucrative extension with the defensive end should be among Fitterer’s top priorities.
The former first-round pick is in a strong bargaining position. Burns knows he is the only consistent edge rusher Carolina has right now, although that could change depending on who comes in during free agency and the 2023 NFL Draft.
His representatives also know how valuable Burns is to the Panthers given the trade offer they turned down. Any new deal won’t impact this year’s salary-cap figure, which is likely to speed up the process and provide some deserved financial security to the Florida State product.