Dan Morgan had a tough job on his hands when he took over front-office affairs for the Carolina Panthers. This roster is starting to resemble what the general manager had in mind, but the jury is still out on this ambitious project just four games into the 2025 season.
The Panthers aren't exactly sitting pretty right now. Their embarrassing meltdown against the New England Patriots leaves them at 1-3 with nowhere to go but up. Questions are being raised about the current regime, which differs from what Morgan had envisioned in the second year of his leadership.
Some tough decisions have worked out. Scrutiny remains on others. But one of Morgan's most significant moves is well on its way to failing spectacularly.
Carolina Panthers' trading Brian Burns is starting to look even worse
Brian Burns was a two-time Pro Bowl edge rusher. The Panthers turned down two first-round picks and more from the Los Angeles Rams once upon a time. Previous general manager Scott Fitterer always spoke positively about wanting to extend the player, but he couldn't get anything worked out.
Fitterer was fired without an agreement in place. The Panthers' relationship with Burns had become frayed. Instead of trying to mend it, Morgan franchised tagged the former Florida State standout before trading him to the New York Giants.
They had no problem giving Burns the money he wanted. The Giants also had to give up second and fifth-round picks to seal the deal. Morgan received ridicule from fans and analysts alike for getting such pitiful compensation for one of the league's most explosive pass-rushers. And it's looking worse with every passing year.
As the Panthers still struggle to generate pressure consistently, Burns leads the league in sacks with five. He's also managed 20 pressures (8th), two batted passes (1st), and no fewer than 13 stops (1st). His 88.7 overall grade from Pro Football Focus ranks ninth among qualifying edge rushers, which is a phenomenal start to the campaign.
One could argue that Morgan was unable to do much to salvage this problem. At the same time, money cures all ailments. If the Panthers had truly wanted Burns to stick around, they'd have paid accordingly. That wasn't the case, and it's starting to look like they made a grave error in judgment.
This was an ascending player barely in their prime years. Burns is evolving into a well-rounded performer on a devastating Giants defensive front. And the Panthers are relying on unproven rookies and cheaper veterans to fill the void instead.
The difference is noticeable. If the likes of D.J. Wonnum, Patrick Jones II, Princely Umanmielen, and Nic Scourton don't raise their influence, Morgan is going to come out of this trade horribly.