On Monday, the New York Giants signed former Carolina Panthers edge Brian Burns to a five-year, $150 million contract, strengthening their pass rush.
With Burns signing his franchise tag to complete the trade, the Panthers will receive a 2024 second-round pick and a 2025 fifth-round pick. Burns will also receive a fully guaranteed $76 million.
As the Giants attempt to improve on their pitiful 34 sacks in 2023, he will arrive as a headline bookend to a defensive front that now includes Burns, Dexter Lawrence, and Kayvon Thibodeaux.
The Giants lost star running back Saquon Barkley to the Philadelphia Eagles and safety Xavier McKinney to the Green Bay Packers on the same day that a deal for Burns was reached.
Burns, who will turn 26 in one month, finished his five seasons in Carolina with 46 sacks. In his first five seasons with the Panthers, only Julius Peppers—a recent inductee into the Hall of Fame—had more sacks.
Burns’ compensation is far less than what the Panthers would have gotten if they had dealt him to the Los Angeles Rams during the summer of 2018, when they offered two first-round picks in exchange for a 2019 first-round draft selection.
The Panthers will avoid paying Burns $24 million this season under the salary cap thanks to his decision to move on. Burns would have received that amount as their franchise tag player. The Panthers attempted to reach a long-term arrangement with Burns both during the NFL combine and last year, but were unable to reach a consensus.
Carolina currently has seven selections overall in April, including two second-round selections (numbers 33 and 39). But when the Panthers moved up to get quarterback Bryce Young last year, they forfeited their first-round pick in 2024, which ended up being the first overall pick after ending 2-15.
Additionally, Frankie Luvu, Carolina’s other productive starting outside linebacker, signed a contract with the Washington Commanders on Monday.
The Panthers did, however, reach an agreement on a massive five-year, $100 million contract with Miami Dolphins free agency guard Robert Hunt, which includes $63 million in guaranteed money.
Wilkins departs for Las Vegas
In the meantime, Christian Wilkins, a former defensive tackle for the Miami Dolphins, agreed to a four-year, $110 million contract with the Las Vegas Raiders, strengthening their defensive line.
The $84.75 million guaranteed contract is available for Wilkins to sign when the new league year formally starts on Wednesday.
The 28-year-old began his career as one of the NFL’s best run stoppers with the Miami Dolphins, where he spent his first five seasons playing. With 98 tackles, he set a league record in 2022 for his position.
After finishing fourth among all tackles last season with a career-high nine sacks, Wilkins will now lead the Raiders defense under Antonio Pierce alongside 2023 first-round selection Tyree Wilson and edge rusher Maxx Crosby.
