The Houston Texans have been a surprise contender in the AFC South this season, getting off to a 3-3 start and winning three of their last four games. Could they now look to pull off a major trade with the Carolina Panthers for star pass-rusher Brian Burns.
Most recently, the Texans defeated the New Orleans Saints by a score of 20-13 and moved to within one game of first place in the division.
As a result, Houston may actually end up buying between now and the Oct. 31 NFL trade deadline.
Who saw that coming?
If there is one area where the Texans could use reinforcements, it’s on the defensive end. Houston ranks 23rd in the league in defense and has had a lot of trouble getting to the quarterback, logging just nine sacks through its first six games.
That’s where Carolina Panthers edge rusher Brian Burns comes into play.
Bleacher Report’s NFL staff lists Burns as someone the Texans should pursue over the next couple of weeks, and the idea certainly makes sense.
The Panthers are 0-6 this year and failed to reach a long-term deal with Burns prior to the season. That means Burns will get to test the free-agent market in the spring, and given that he is apparently seeking a contract that will pay him $26-28 million annually, Carolina will probably wave goodbye to the pass rusher.
For that reason, the Panthers may want to trade Burns now to recoup some value for him before he signs elsewhere during the offseason.
Houston could send a 2024 first-round draft pick and a third-rounder to Carolina in exchange for Burns, which would satisfy the Texans’ need for a pass rusher while also providing the Panthers with some substantial draft capital.
Burns has logged 20 tackles, four sacks and a forced fumble thus far this season and is coming off of a 2022 campaign in which he racked up 63 tackles, 12.5 sacks, a forced fumble and three passes defended.
He has made two Pro Bowl appearances in his first four NFL seasons.
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