Getty John Lynch, 49ers general manager, who sought a trade for Brian Burns.
Heading into Tuesday’s trade deadline, one of the most closely watched players around the NFL in terms of rumors was Carolina star pass rusher Brian Burns and it turns out, that included the 49ers. With the Panthers standing at 1-6 and looking primed for a rebuild, Burns was a much-rumored target and the 49ers called to inquire about him.
But, according to ESPN insider Adam Schefter, all such inquiries were rebuffed by the Panthers, who are hopeful of coming to a long-term contract agreement with Burns, or to use the franchise tag on him next offseason if need be. Offseason talks on an extension for Burns, who has been to the Pro Bowl the last two seasons, did not produce a deal.
Schefter reported that the 49ers, who eventually traded for Chase Young from the Commanders, “expressed interest in Burns this year,” along with the Bears, Ravens, Falcons and Jaguars. But the Panthers held firm and did not make a deal on Burns.
Wrote Schefter: “The Panthers shut down those teams just as quickly as they inquired and had no intention of trading the coveted Burns, according to sources.”
Burns is in the option year of his contract, with $16 million this season, but which has paid him $30 million to date. According to Spotrac, his projected next contract will be worth $117 million over five years.
Several 49ers Rumors Around Brian Burns
It is unclear whether the 49ers would have preferred a reliable star edge rusher like Brian Burns instead of Young, who is talented but has had his ups and downs in his four seasons in the NFL. Young was in the midst of a solid season for Washington, with 5.0 sacks, on pace to top his career-high sack total of 7.5.
But Burns was connected to the 49ers in multiple rumors and proposed trades.
Young did that in 2020, when he was the Defensive Rookie of the Year, as well as a Pro Bowler. Since then, he has had trouble staying on the field. He tore his ACL in Week 10 of his second season and during his recovery from the injury, he suffered a series of setbacks that left him out not only for the last part of 2021, but for almost all of 2022.
The 49ers had to give up a third-round pick for Young. But the rumored price for the 49ers to get Brian Burns would have been much higher. Last year, the Rams offered two first-round picks to the Panthers for Burns, and that deal was rejected. Obviously, the Panthers would have wanted at least that deal this time around, or perhaps more.
In the end, though, they never really entertained offers on Brian Burns.
GM John Lynch Addressed 49ers Media
This week, general manager John Lynch addressed the media about the trade deadline, and while he did not specifically talk about 49ers rumors around Burns, he did say that the team was especially busy. The 49ers are on a three-game losing streak after starting the season 5-0, but Lynch said that was not behind his pursuit of Young, Burns or anybody.
“We were in a lot of discussions and like I said there was a point going into last night, you know, you can’t just, I’ve always heard from people, sometimes the best deals are the ones that you don’t do,” Lynch said, according to the 49ers’ transcript. “And we didn’t want to do it just to do it. We feel like we have, independent of Chase, it’s something we talked a lot about coming off the tough stretch that we’re on. Everyone needs to look inward not outward because there’s no magic pill. The answers are right here in this building. And so, we didn’t feel like we necessarily needed to go do something.”