Brian Burns remains with the Carolina Panthers, providing a glimmer of hope for fans in the midst of the team’s turbulent situation with their star pass rusher. The team has placed a non-exclusive franchise tag on Burns, securing his presence within the organization for at least another year while they continue to negotiate a long-term contract. This move comes with a hefty $24 million cap hit for the upcoming season, as Burns had reportedly sought a long-term deal in the $30 million per year range. The disagreement over the terms of the deal has raised eyebrows, especially considering the team’s previous acknowledgment of Burns’ importance to their future plans. The situation has the potential to serve as a cautionary tale for mishandling negotiations with a top-tier player if Burns were to depart from Carolina in 2025.
Currently, the Panthers have placed the non-exclusive franchise tag on Burns, similar to what the Ravens did with Lamar Jackson last year. This tag allows other teams to negotiate with Burns, potentially offer him a contract, and if the Panthers choose not to match the offer, they will receive two first-round picks in return. It remains uncertain if any team will take this opportunity. The Rams have ample cap space to make a move and essentially get a discount on their trade offer from 2022, but the key difference is that they would need to sign Burns to his extension this time, rather than having him on his rookie contract. Another team to keep an eye on is the Texans, who have plenty of cap space and could benefit from adding a proven pass rusher like Burns to their roster. Pairing Burns with Will Anderson would be a formidable combination and could pose a significant challenge to opposing offenses. All of this is contingent on whether a team decides to make an offer. If not, Burns will play in 2024, with teams lowballing his offers until 2025. As pass rush salaries continue to rise, the $30 million per year that Burns seeks now could increase even further in the future. The Panthers are now at a point where they must decide whether Burns is truly crucial to the team, in which case they should pay him, or if they consider him expendable and attempt to trade him around the draft. The only wrong move at this stage is inaction, which is precisely what led the Panthers to this situation. Brian Burns is an exceptional player and deserves better treatment from the Panthers. Eventually, someone will recognize this.
