According to David Newton, the Panthers and OLB Brian Burns never got close on extension talks last season, with sources telling Newton Burns was looking for close to $30 million a year.
Carolina wasn’t willing to go that high. However, they still seem intent on keeping Burns. Newton says the former staff wasn’t completely united on how to proceed with Burns and the new regime could be.
He adds there are no plans at the moment for the Panthers to try and get back into the first round of the draft.
The Panthers turned down significant interest in Burns at the trade deadline the past two seasons and seem likely to franchise Burns in the coming weeks.
The franchise tag for Burns is projected to be around $22 million fully guaranteed for the 2024 season. It would give the two sides until mid-July to work out a long-term deal, otherwise they have to play out the season.
The Packers and Bears signed Rashan Gary and Montez Sweat to extensions worth around $24 million per year this past season, which is probably a number the Panthers would be more comfortable with for Burns.
Burns, 25, was drafted by the Panthers No. 16 overall in the first round out of Florida State in 2019. He played out the fourth year of a four-year, $13,540,186 rookie contract that included a $7,867,408 signing bonus.
The Panthers exercised the fifth-year option for Burns for the 2023 season which cost them $16.012 million fully guaranteed. He’ll be an unrestricted free agent in 2023.
In 2023, Burns appeared in 16 games for the Panthers and recorded 50 total tackles, 16 tackles for loss, eight sacks, one forced fumble, one recovery and two pass deflections.
We have him included in our Top 100 – 2024 NFL Free Agents list.
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