The Green Bay Packers could certainly afford to bolster their pass rush, as they finished 28th in the NFL with just 34 sacks in 2022 and have managed a modest seven sacks through two games this season.
For that reason, it’s no surprise that the Packers have been mentioned as a potential suitor for Carolina Panthers edge rusher Brian Burns.
Burns is in the final year of his contract with the Panthers and failed to come to terms on a long-term agreement prior to the season. He is seeking $26-28 million annually, a price that Carolina was apparently unwilling to pay.
As a result, Burns is viewed as a potential trade candidate ahead of the NFL’s Oct. 31 deadline, and Vincent Frank of SportsNaut sees Green Bay as a possible landing spot.
Over the first two weeks of 2023, Burns has already made an impact, logging nine tackles, a couple of sacks and a forced fumble.
The 25-year-old, who played his collegiate football at Florida State, was selected by the Panthers with the 16th overall pick of the 2019 NFL Draft.
It didn’t take long for Burns to flash his talent, as he posted 25 tackles and 7.5 sacks during his rookie campaign. The following season, burns posted 58 stops and nine sacks before earning back-to-back trips to the Pro Bowl in 2021 and 2022. Last season, Burns racked up 63 tackles, 12.5 sacks and a forced fumble in what has been his most productive year to date.
Carolina has gotten off to an 0-2 start and certainly does not resemble anything close to a contender, so it is entirely possible the club attempts to recoup some value for Brian Burns now before he likely walks via free agency during the offseason.
The Packers are 1-1 in their first season of the Jordan Love era. While no one expected Green Bay to make much noise this year, the NFC North appears to be a very winnable division, so it would not be a surprise to see the Packers attempt to make some moves to prepare for a run.
