Getty Carolina Panthers edge rusher Brian Burns
The Carolina Panthers made headlines on Monday, October 10 due to the team firing head coach Matt Rhule.
Rhule signed a seven-year, $62 million contract with the Panthers in 2020 to become their head coach. Since then, he has accumulated an 11-27 record with Carolina. This season, the Panthers are 1-4 under Rhule.
Along with the firing of Rhule, Carolina is also firing defensive coordinator Phil Snow, according to NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport. The team also announced that defensive pass game coordinator/secondary coach Steve Wilks will be the interim head coach for the remainder of the season.
Sources: #Panthers defensive coordinator Phil Snow has been fired. So not just Matt Rhule, but his defensive coordinator, as well.
Twitter Calls for Chiefs to Trade for Brian Burns
With the Rhule era officially over in Carolina, there’s the potential for a fire sale in Carolina for a Panthers team that might want to start fresh in 2023 with many new faces on the roster. That’s why many Twitter users are calling for the Kansas City Chiefs to take advantage of the situation in Carolina by trying to pull off a trade for Panthers edge rusher, Brian Burns.
“I’ll take Brian Burns off their hands,” one Twitter user wrote. “I know everyone wants DJ Moore but Brian Burns would have a bigger impact on the Chiefs than Moore IMO.”
Burns entered the league as the 16th overall pick by the Panthers in the 2019 NFL Draft. Since then, he has played in a total of 40 games for Carolina and has accumulated 61 quarterback hits, 29.5 sacks, and 32 tackles for loss, per Pro Football Reference.
Burns is the perfect addition to a contender that might be trying to sell out for the 2022 season and/or wants to add a first-round talent at a cheaper cost. The Panthers also picked up Burns’ fifth-year option in April, which gives any team trading for him another year to work out a long-term deal with Burns.
That’s why the Chiefs make a lot of sense for Burns.
“Chiefs send Mecole Hardman, Frank Clark, a second and two thirds for DJ Moore and Brian Burns,” another user wrote.
“I need the chiefs to end up with any combination of dj moore, brian burns, cmc or odell. at least one if not more of those guys need to end up in KC,” another user wrote.
“Lowkey try to get one of those young defenders. Jaycee Horn, Derrick Brown or Brian Burns. All three would look really nice in KC,” another user wrote.
“Yes… I don’t want to get ahead of myself but if the Chiefs can make a trade for Brian Burns… I will do it in a heartbeat,” another user wrote.
Yes… I don’t want to get ahead of myself but if the Chiefs can make a trade for Brian Burns… I will do it in a heartbeat
#ChiefsKingdom
Chris Jones Talks KC’s Elite Defense Line Play
Through four regular season games, the Chiefs’ run defense ranks first in the NFL in yards allowed (263), second in yards per carry (3.3), is tied for fourth in rushing first downs (18), and tied for second in rushing touchdowns (2), per NFL.com. These averages come in the wake of Kansas City’s Week 4 performance in which they gave up 3 total rushing yards to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
#Chiefs LB Nick Bolton wraps up RB Leonard Fournette for a loss. #ChiefsKingdom
Speaking to the media on October 8, defensive tackle Chris Jones was asked about the improved play of the Chiefs’ defensive line this season, which has been the catalyst for the defense’s elite run defending. Jones gave all the credit to defensive line coach Joe Cullen, who joined Kansas City’s coaching staff this offseason.
“Listen, I told everybody, I’ve been in this system (for) four years (and) what’s changed, Joe Cullen,” Jones explained. “Joe Cullen – his demeanor, our game plan, the way he brings the best out of us individually and the defensive line group. We harp on that. We take accountability to stop the run. That’s a high priority on our list. It gives us the ability to rush the passer once we stop the run. So, it forces to pass the ball and do what we love to do most and get after the quarterback.”