Brian Burns believes he should 'definitely' rank among highest-paid edge rushers

Carolina Panthers edge rusher Brian Burns is eyeing a big pay day in 2024. The former first-round pick is entering the final year of his rookie deal on a fifth-year option, meaning he’ll have to negotiate a new contract by next offseason.

In a recent article from ESPN, he said he “definitely” expects to end up among the highest paid players at his position. Burns is set to make $16.01 million this upcoming season and already been in conversations about a new long-term deal. But with the 2023 season set to kick off in a few months, he is taking his time to make sure he gets what he feels he deserves.

“I don’t have a preference (on when the deal gets done),” Burns said. “Really, I’m blessed to be in that (conversation) for an opportunity to have that (type of a deal). Right now, I’m enjoying the process and enjoying everything that comes with it.”

The Panthers selected Brian Burns with the No. 16 pick in the 2019 NFL Draft out of Florida State. Since then, he ranks 11th in the league with 38 sacks. He is coming off the best season of his career in 2022, finishing with career highs in tackles (63), tackles for loss (17), quarterback hits (22) and sacks (12.5).

For comparison, Steelers edge rusher TJ Watt leads the league with 57 sacks over the past four seasons. He is also currently the NFL’s highest-paid edge rusher with an average annual salary just north of $28 million. The top four edge rushers in the league make an average of $23.75 million each season, and only seven players make $20 million or more.

If Burns can reach that number, it would put him in the same company as names like Watt, Joey Bosa and Myles Garrett. The Panthers have already confirmed their commitment to Burns, and even turned down a trade offer from the Rams last season that included two first-round picks.

Burns was not at the team’s OTAs and is also not practicing at the team’s minicamp this week as he recovers from offseason ankle injury. He has still been putting in work to learn a new defensive scheme, however, as Carolina will move from the 4-3 to the 3-4 under new head coach Frank Reich.

That also means a position change for Burns, who will go from playing defensive end to linebacker.

“I have watched a lot of film on it,” he said. “The guys that have been in this position, yeah, they were dominant. They got after the quarterback.”

Burns is expected to be full recovered by the time training camp rolls around next month. Once he gets back on the field, he’ll hope to prove why he is among the best edge rushers in the NFL.