6 players the Carolina Panthers should consider trading after their 0-4 start

Brian Burns - Carolina Panthers OLB

And to finish off, the elephant in the room.

Brian Burns and the Carolina Panthers have been at loggerheads for months regarding a contract extension. Even after Nick Bosa reset the market with the San Francisco 49ers - which was anticipated to speed things up - nothing concrete emerged and it appears as if the player called off talks to focus on the football side of things.

This makes Burns a free agent in 2024. Carolina could slap the franchise tag on their one consistent pass-rusher to give them extra time, but that's not going to make the player any happier when push comes to shove.

Burns looked visibly dejected when speaking to the media after their latest loss in Week 4. The former Florida State star's experienced nothing but bad football since being drafted by the Panthers, which could mean he'd welcome a move to better surroundings.

The Panthers don't have a first-round selection in 2024. Burns looks like the only player who could get that sort of compensation, although it wouldn't be anything like the offer Scott Fiutterer turned down from the Los Angeles Rams before the 2022 trade deadline.

One could make a case for that being another error by Fitterer and the front office. Once the Panthers finally realize they are rebuilding - and not softly - those in power could be receptive to any team that comes calling for Burns.

That's sad, obviously. But for Carolina, it represents the harsh reality.