Burns (ankle) logged one tackle (one solo) during the Giants' preseason game versus the Texans on Saturday. Burns was previously dealing with an ankle injury but managed to return to the field Saturday. Barring any setbacks, the 2019 first-round pick should be good to go for the start of the regular season in a few weeks.
Unlock the latest New York Giants news — direct to your inbox.
Status
ACTIVELatest Brian Burns news
Team
New York Giants
Birthdate
4/23/1998 (26)
Status
Active
HT/WT
6'5", 250 lbs
Draft Info
2019: Rd 1; Pk (CAR)
Birthplace
Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA
Position
OLB
College
Florida State
Experience
6 seasons
Career History
New York Giants
2024-Present
(1 season)
Carolina Panthers
2019-2024
(5 seasons)
It's the offseason! 😎
Check back next season for fresh
AI-powered projections.
Can't wait for more data?
Join dfsPro Daily for free
AI-powered Fantasy Picks
Year-Round.
Burns (ankle) logged one tackle (one solo) during the Giants' preseason game versus the Texans on Saturday. Burns was previously dealing with an ankle injury but managed to return to the field Saturday. Barring any setbacks, the 2019 first-round pick should be good to go for the start of the regular season in a few weeks.
Burns sustained an ankle injury during practice Monday, John Fennelly of USAToday.com reports. Head coach Brian Daboll told reporters following Tuesday's practice that Burns' ankle injury was "nothing bad." That's good news for Burns, who was acquired by the Giants in a trade with the Panthers in March and signed a five-year, $150 million contract. The 2019 first-round pick out of Florida State is set to lead a Giants defense headlined by nose tackle Dexter Lawrence and linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux.
The Giants are acquiring Burns in a trade with the Panthers and signing him to a five-year contract, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. The initial report has it as a $150 million contract, with the Giants sending second-and fifth-round picks to Carolina for the right to make Burns one of the highest-paid non-QBs in league history. The 2019 first-round pick has been both durable and consistent, recording at least 7.5 sacks every season while missing just three games. He's never had the kind of dominant campaign that other defenders with similar contracts have all produced, but it's possible that lies ahead with Burns heading into his age-26 campaign. It's also possible the contract numbers initially reported are inflated with incentives or other money that's unlikely to actually end up in his pocket. Either way, the Giants now have the fastest pair of edge rushers in the league with Burns (4.53 40) joining 2022 fifth overall pick Kayvon Thibodeaux (4.58), who had 11.5 sacks in 2023.
The Panthers gave Burns a franchise tag Tuesday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. The tag is for $24 million and likely will serve as a bridge to either a new contract or a trade. Burns has recorded at least 7.5 sacks each year since the Panthers drafted him 16th overall in 2019, and he's missed only three games in five pro seasons.
Carolina will get its star edge rusher back this Sunday after he missed the team's Week 10 loss to the Bears with a concussion. The two-time Pro Bowler has been productive in spite of the Panthers' 1-9 record, as he's logged 25 total tackles, including nine tackles for loss and five sacks in eight appearances thus far.
Burns was a non-participant at Monday's walk-through after being diagnosed with a concussion in the fourth quarter of Sunday's 27-13 loss to the Colts. He had accumulated four tackles (two solo) on 42 defensive snaps (74 percent) prior to exiting the contest. If he is indeed unable to play, Luiji Vilain (knee) and Eku Leota are candidates to fill in at weakside linebacker opposite DJ Johnson.
At the point of his departure in the fourth quarter, Burns had four tackles, including one for loss. Now that he's in the protocol for head injuries, he likely will have a tough time clearing all five of its phases in time to suit up Thursday at Chicago.
Burns was able to fully participate in Friday's practice after logging limited sessions both Wednesday and Thursday, and it now seems as if he's moved past his elbow issue. Carolina's star edge rusher has recorded five sacks through seven games this year, and he'll look to add to that total this Sunday against the Colts.
Burns sack on C.J. Stroud in the second quarter was his lone tackle on the day despite being on the field for 84 percent of the defensive snaps. His five sacks on the year leads the team, though he has just 21 tackles in seven games which behind the pace to reach his mark of 63 last season. Burns has played on at least 46 defensive snaps in all but one game this year.