The New York Giants’ greatest offseason addition got here once they acquired edge rusher Brian Burns in a commerce from the Carolina Panthers within the warmth of free company.
Common supervisor Joe Schoen & Co. most definitely paid a giant worth for Burns as they needed to give up draft capital after which handed out a profitable deal for his or her latest edge rusher.
Clearly, Schoen noticed one thing in Burns that made the worth value it.
Burns was not too long ago ranked a prime 10 edge rusher by NFL executives, coaches, and scouts:
10. Brian Burns, New York Giants
Highest rating: 6
Lowest rating: Unranked
Age: 26
Final 12 months’s rating: 7Burns seemed poised to crack the highest 5 however misplaced momentum, needing tiebreakers to take the tenth spot.
The constant top-10 performer has one double-digit-sack season since 2019, and his final 12 months in Carolina wasn’t stellar, resulting in a commerce to New York. To make certain, a contentious contract standoff may have affected his play. And the Panthers not often held leads, diminishing third-down rush alternatives.
Burns is the one participant within the prime 10 with no single top-five vote.
“He has all the things you need within the place and can all the time be productive — the one factor he’s missing is that elite energy,” an NFL coordinator mentioned.
The record is generated by gathering enter from over 80 voters the place they provide their prime 10 gamers at a place and ESPN then ranks the gamers primarily based on these votes.
Burns dropped his rank from seven to 10 this 12 months. Nonetheless, he may take a major soar in these rankings subsequent 12 months given the expertise on the entrance seven he will likely be taking part in with this season. Between Bobby Okereke, Kayvon Thibodeaux, and Dexter Lawrence, that is seemingly probably the most expertise Burns has performed round throughout his NFL profession.
Given the profitable deal the Giants gave Burns, they’re relying on him to play like a top-10 go rusher.
