The New York Giants added one of the game's premier pass-rushers and best players set to be available this offseason, as general manager Joe Schoen pulled off a blockbuster trade hours into the NFL's legal tampering period for Brian Burns.
In a deal that sent the Carolina Panthers a second-round and fifth-round selection in the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft, the Giants acquired Carolina Panthers All-Pro pass-rusher Brian Burns, a league source confirms to FanBuzz.
NFL Network's Ian Rapoport tweeted that the Giants are signing Burns to a five-year deal worth up to $150 million following the trade.
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Trade! The #Panthers are trading star Brian Burns ? at last! ? to the #Giants, per me and @MikeGarafolo.
Burns lands a 5-year deal worth $150M max with $87.5M guaranteed, done by Todd France of @AthletesFirst.
Carolina sends Burns to NYG for a 2nd and 5th rounders.? pic.twitter.com/UpdtdzB6s6
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 11, 2024
After the Panthers applied the franchise tag, he was set to cost $24 million against the cap for this upcoming season. However, the New York Giants immediately signed burns to a new five-year contract worth up to $150 million that includes $87.5 million guaranteed, according to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network.
Last season, Burns produced eight sacks and 50 total tackles.
New York now pairs Burns, who has posted 46 sacks with 246 total tackles and eight forced fumbles, opposite ascending edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux.
Despite playing on an inconsistent Panthers' defense, Burns finished the 2023 season with the NFL's 11th-best pass-rush-win-rate, at 21%, while drawing double-teams on 14% of his snaps.
Given that pass rush is a premium position when it comes to roster construction, and that this is expected to be an underwhelming NFL Draft class at the position, it's not surprising to see Schoen and the Giants make an aggressive move to acquire the 25-year-old former first-round pick.
On an afternoon when the Giants lost budding star safety Xavier McKinney to the Green Bay Packers and All-Pro running back Saquon Barkley to the NFC East rival Philadelphia Eagles, New York adds a major piece to its front seven by prying Burns away from the Panthers.
