Brian Burns

Brian Burns is staying with the Carolina Panthers for at least one more season.

The NFC South team announced Tuesday it had placed the $24 million franchise tag on the pass-rusher.

NFL insider Jordan Schultz first reported the move. Adam Schefter of ESPN noted it is the non-exclusive franchise tag.

This isn't a surprising development, as Josina Anderson of CBS Sports reported on March 3 the Panthers told Burns they were not continuing long-term contract talks. Anderson noted placing the franchise tag on him or executing a tag-and-trade were still options at the time.

The 2023 season was the final one of his rookie contract, and he made $16 million in base salary after Carolina exercised his fifth-year option. While he could have signed a new deal ahead of that 2023 campaign, another pass-rusher was under the spotlight at the time.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported the San Francisco 49ers agreed to make Nick Bosa the highest-paid defensive player in NFL history with a five-year, $170 million extension that featured $122.5 million in guarantees in September 2023.

Unlike Bosa, Burns did not have an extended holdout during training camp.

He participated in training camp but started a hold-in shortly before the Sept. 10 opener against the Atlanta Falcons. That left his status for Week 1 briefly unclear at the time, although he was back in uniform and pads following two missed practices.

ESPN's David Newton noted Burns wanted to be paid around $27 million or $28 million per year during 2023 negotiations, which was quite a bit higher than the $23 million per year the Panthers were looking for in a new deal.

Newton also pointed out it was "hard to imagine" any contract agreement from Burns and the Panthers until the market-resetting Bosa one was complete.

That timeline turned out to be correct, but there is also no long-term deal in place with the franchise tag. That means the two sides could be back at the negotiating table again in the future with his long-term timeline still up in the air.

The Panthers selected Burns out of Florida State with a first-round pick in 2019, and he has lived up to expectations. That is especially the case of late, as he was a back-to-back Pro Bowler in 2021 and 2022.

He tallied 63 tackles, 12.5 sacks, three passes defended and one forced fumble as a bright spot for the organization in an otherwise disappointing 2022 campaign and followed up with 50 tackles, eight sacks, two passes defended, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery for the 2-15 Panthers in 2023.

Burns is just 25 years old and can be a foundational piece for Carolina's defense for years to come.

Yet that will require a long-term deal that goes beyond just the franchise tag.

The Carolina Panthers have informed linebacker Brian Burns that they will not continue contract talks ahead of free agency, per CBS Sports' Josina Anderson.

Burns, who the Panthers drafted 16th overall in 2019, will become an unrestricted free agent on March 13 with his rookie contract expiring.

Anderson noted that using a franchise tag or executing a tag-and-trade are still options, but Carolina won't continue with long-term contract talks.

The 25-year-old out of Florida State recorded 50 tackles, eight sacks and a forced fumble last season. He's notched 151 tackles, 59 tackles for loss and eight forced fumbles across his five-year career. Burns was a Pro Bowler in 2021 and 2022.

Carolina general manager Dan Morgan said at the NFL combine this week that using a franchise tag on Burns is something the Panthers have considered.

"We would definitely use it if we had to use it," Morgan said. "And we love Brian. Brian's a Panther. Somebody that I know, that I'm close to. I played with his brother. So, definitely love Brian. But all options are on the table."

A franchise tag on Burns would cost Carolina $22.8 in 2024 and the Panthers have until Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET to tag him.

Burns was reportedly seeking a contract worth around $30 million last year, per ESPN's David Newton, while the Panthers reportedly offered him $27 million a year for five years.

If Carolina opts not to use its franchise tag—the Panthers have not used a franchise tag since 2021—Burns will likely have plenty of options available in free agency.

The Carolina Panthers and star edge-rusher Brian Burns "never got close" in previous contract negotiations, according to ESPN's David Newton.

Newton reported Burns was angling to get nearly $30 million annually during those discussions. That would put him near the top of the list of highest-paid edge defenders. The San Francisco 49ers' Nick Bosa leads the way at $34 million, and the Pittsburgh Steelers' T.J. Watt is next at $28 million.

"I feel like I earned that before this season,'' Burns said entering that group, per Newton. "Given our circumstances, it is what it is. But my feeling never changed from that point to now, because I put the work in for years prior to this."

The case with the two-time Pro Bowler is a little less straightforward, though.

Bosa was the reigning Defensive Player of the Year and led the NFL in sacks before signing his extension. Watt had 49.5 sacks and two All-Pro nods through his first four seasons before he penned his new deal. The Los Angeles Chargers' Joey Bosa and Cleveland Browns' Myles Garrett both reset the market in 2020 after having multiple seasons double-digit sacks.

Burns hasn't compiled the same kind of résumé so far.

The Los Angeles Rams once valued him so highly they were reportedly prepared to trade two first-round picks and a second-rounder to get him midway through the 2022 season. That might not reflect how others feel, though.

Age is certainly on Burns' side in terms of his impending free agency. It's not often that teams get the chance to sign an edge-rusher this good when he's only 25. Still, Spotrac valued him at $21.7 million per year, pointing to how his production hasn't matched that of the Bosas, Garrett and Watt before they signed.

This all could be a moot point anyway because Newton reported the Panthers applying the franchise tag to Burns "seems the most likely option." That's projected to pay out $22.8 million for a player at his position.

Burns might have to wait another year to get the big payday he's seeking.

The Carolina Panthers collected another loss on Sunday against the New Orleans Saints, marking their 12th of the season and their sixth in a row.

With just four games remaining on the year, the hope of ending the season on a promising note is dwindling. The Panthers are now threatening to end the season with one win for just the second time in franchise history.

Per ESPN's David Newton, rookie quarterback Bryce Young didn't sugarcoat the loss, taking accountability for the poor performance.

"Lack of execution, especially from myself,'' Young said. "I missed a lot of things. I thought we played well on the perimeter. We played well up front.

"I've got to continue to get better.''

Young threw for just 137 yards on a lackluster 13/36 passing. The No. 1 overall pick is not having the start he hoped for, and the Panthers are having a miserable season. Despite how far they are into the season, Young knows it's on the team to try and turn things around to end the season on better terms.

"We all are tired of it,'' Young said. "But that doesn't entitle us to anything. It's on us. So no matter how tired we are, we've got to be better.''

The Panthers only win came on Oct. 29 against the Houston Texans. They will close out the season against the Atlanta Falcons, Green Bay Packers, Jacksonville Jaguars and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. According to ESPN's Football Power Index, the Panthers are not favored in any of their final four games.

Outside linebacker Brian Burns, who had one tackle in Sunday's game, believes that Carolina is at rock bottom this season.

"I mean, as far as rock-bottom, we've been at the bottom for a minute,'' outside linebacker Brian Burns said. "The only thing you can do now is go up.''

Things don't necessarily get better after the season ends for Carolina. Despite it's league-worst record, the Panthers won't get the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft because of a trade last season. Carolina sent its 2024 first-round pick to the Chicago Bears in order to trade up and draft Young.

The Panthers admit that they are at rock bottom. Now it's a matter of how they will get back up.