Carolina Panthers offer Brian Burns new deal: What comes next?

The Carolina Panthers have offered stud pass-rusher Brian Burns a new deal, but there are mitigating factors in play before something becomes official.

Brian Burns and the Carolina Panthers are mutually working towards keeping the player around long-term. But with two-straight Pro Bowls and 12.5 sacks last season, one cannot blame the former first-round selection for demanding to be paid accordingly.

Burns wants to be compensated like one of the league's most elite edge rushers. He also has all the leverage imaginable after the Panthers turned down a big trade offer from the Los Angeles Rams before the 2022 deadline and Carolina got no consistent pass-rushing production from elsewhere during the previous campaign.

This puts Burns in a strong position, but the Panthers cannot be held to ransom. They'll have a figure in mind and could even go up further if needed, especially considering Carolina is in a decent financial position after a memorable offseason littered with increased professionalism.

Carolina Panthers waiting on Nick Bosa for Brian Burns deal

There are also many mitigating factors in play. These were discussed by Darin Gantt from the team's website, who said that although the Panthers have offered Burns a deal, everything is seemingly in flux until Nick Bosa's new contract with the San Francisco 49ers resets the market.

"The Panthers have made an offer, but the entire market at the position seems to be on hold since there are a couple of big deals on the horizon. Nick Bosa said in June he was confident he'd get something done with the 49ers and that one figures to create a new bar for all pass-rushers. Burns doesn't have the same kind of resume as Bosa, but just like property values in your neighborhood, when one goes up, all the comps go up with it. Things could start shaking in the coming days as teams get ready to go to camp. Ideally, something would get done before they report and take the practice field. Regardless, Burns is under contract for this season, and they can franchise tag him next year if they can't get a deal done, though that's something both sides would rather avoid."

- Darin Gantt, Panthers.com

Bosa is the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year - something Burns has yet to accomplish - so asking for similar money might be a step too far. But as Gantt stated, if the Niners' franchise player gets more than expected, then everyone else's deals will go in the same direction.

Carolina doesn't want this to become an ongoing distraction at camp. There doesn't appear any concern that Burns will hold out given he's making $16.01 million next season, but getting this done sooner rather than after is peace of mind for everyone involved.

Many speculate that Bosa could see his contract in the $30-35 million per year range. In this instance, Burns is well entitled to $20-25 million at the very least.

San Francisco is reportedly prioritizing Bosa's deal to avoid any unnecessary complications after the defensive end didn't attend their mandatory minicamp. Burns and his representatives will be waiting with bated breath, although the former Florida State star could end up signing the offer already on the table if he feels like it's in keeping with his talent and influence.

Nobody is pressing the panic button. And the recent contract given to Quinnen Williams by the New York Jets could open the floodgates for others - Burns and Bosa included.