Panthers edge rusher Brian Burns is once again the subject of trade rumors. Burns is in a platform year, and as the Panthers are sitting at 0-6, GM Scott Fitterer is unsurprisingly fielding calls on the two-time Pro Bowler, as Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports (subscription required).
Burns was also a popular name at last year’s deadline, and Fitterer turned down an offer from the Rams that featured two first-round picks. That development ostensibly gave Burns plenty of leverage in negotiations on a long-term contract, negotiations that apparently have not generated much traction. Indeed, previous reports indicated that the two sides have not come close to striking an accord, as Burns is said to be seeking a deal with an average annual value approaching Nick Bosa‘s astronomical $34MM figure, while Carolina believes Maxx Crosby‘s $23.5MM AAV is a more appropriate comp.
In September, we learned that the Panthers were willing to continue contract talks in-season, though it is unclear if that has actually happened. Of course, an acquiring team would need to work out a lucrative contract extension in addition to parting with a premium trade package, which is perhaps one reason why Russini reports the Panthers are not expecting to deal Burns.
That said, they are listening to offers, as Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports writes. Robinson acknowledges that Carolina would prefer to keep Burns, but the club’s top priority is to furnish the offense with more talent to aid the development of rookie quarterback Bryce Young. As such, Fitterer could be willing to move Burns and would be seeking a first-round pick plus a talented, young offensive player or a first-round pick plus additional draft capital — including at least one Day 2 selection — in exchange.
Per Robinson, the 5-1 Lions — who have recorded a middling 15 sacks in 2023 — are one possible suitor for Burns. Robinson also believes the Rams could get in the mix again if they should win their next two contests and hit the October 31 deadline with a 5-3 record.
Generally, both Russini and Robinson hear that the Panthers are operating as both buyers and sellers in the run-up to the deadline. We have heard repeatedly over the past several weeks that the club is in pursuit of a high-end wideout, and a report from earlier this month suggested that receiver Terrace Marshall, safety/linebacker Jeremy Chinn, and cornerback Donte Jackson are all on the trade block.
Marshall has been granted permission to seek a trade, while Chinn is dealing with a significant quadriceps injury that will sideline him until December, which obviously represents a major blow to his trade value (though Russini hears that the contract-year defender is still available).
Jackson, meanwhile, is under club control through 2024, and both Robinson and Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com report that there is outside interest in his services.
Bears should get in on bidding. Nothing wrong using a top 5 pick for a stud DE. And plenty of room to sign him as well. But if they get the top 2 picks, I think it will be USC QB (who loses a lot to top 25 teams) And OSU’s WR.
link to brobible.com
The Bears have no business being in any bidding, they should be building through the draft exclusively, perhaps your not aware but we traded for claypool last deadline…and it went poorly
I’m well aware their last 2 draft classes haven’t done squat; hence their W/L record. If you can’t draft well, might as well get proven players w/ your picks.
Bears tried that with Claypool. Failed horribly.
Bears shouldn’t be trading picks for proven players till they get the qb position solved.
Off season should start with firing eberflus. Bringing in a qb whisperer coach. Ben Johnson should be top pf the list. I think pairing Ben Johnson and a stop gab like Josh Dobbs for 2 years while they draft say drake maye and build up the offense for 2 years makes a lot of sense.
They need a new GM as well. Over the past 2 years, they used 4 2nd round picks, & 1 3rd on D, and it’s awful.
On one hand, Burns is the type of young player that both helps build a positive culture (which is built by winning, drafting good players, and then retaining them as building blocks when they succeed) and will probably still be good when the Panthers will hopefully be competitive again. Fans severely, severely, severely underestimate the difficulty of building culture on a team-that’s why most rebuilds fail. If players see their leaders or best performers get traded instead of getting contracts, it hurts their motivation to perform, no matter how much sense it could make picks-wise.
On the other hand, if he wants a $30 million or more type of deal, then he’s pretty demanding in what he thinks that he’s shown so far. Burns is good, no doubt, but the Bosa deal is expensive even for a player who just won DPoY. Burns has yet to seriously be in the conversation in my opinion, let alone win. He’s good, don’t misunderstand me, but he needs more on the resume to earn that type of deal.
The last side of this is that Fitterer has to hit on the picks. So far, there are legitimate questions as to his ability to do so. It’s better, I think, to get good value for Burns if he will not be re-signed, but Carolina needs to have a clear plan of what they want to do with those picks, and not just trade him for the sake of trading him. Too many teams do that, and then waste the picks later. Evero does not seem happy with the personnel fits in Carolina, so the Panthers may be opting for a full redress of the defensive talent. If that’s the case, then a lot of picks will be necessary, and Evero should have an idea by now which priorities to recommend to Fitterer that they target. If Burns is traded, those priorities would be the future plans for his compensation. The Panthers should have taken the offers that they got last year, if they wanted to go this route anyway, though.
As always well written. Both Minny w/ JJ & Carolina w/ Burns stated all offseason that they would sign their premier guys and didn’t.
You’re right, it’s a bad look to the rest of the players and potential FA’s.
The team in Springfield has interest in Mr Burns…