Brian Burns says contract talks with Panthers on hold, focusing on football instead of extension

Brian Burns wants a new contract from the Carolina Panthers, yet doesn’t want that weighing on his mind over the course of the season. Once Week 1 kicked off, Burns put contract talks with the Panthers on pause. 

“We haven’t really been in talks,” Burns said, via ESPN. “I told them once the season started I’m all about ball. I can’t give a 1,000% on the field and to my teammates if I’m still worried about contract negotiations.

“I feel like I owe that to them to be 100%, a 1,000% at all times.”

While Burns did think about holding out in search of a new deal, he couldn’t go through with it. He decided to play under his fifth-year option of $16.012 million before hitting free agency next season. The Panthers will still have until March to get a deal done with Burns, who seeks to be paid as one of the best edge rushers in football. 

“I would say it’s in the back (of my mind), but way, way in the back,” Burns said. “My main thing has always been to level up my game and really dominate games. That’s all my focus is on.”

Burns had three pressures and two sacks in Carolina’s season-opening loss to Atlanta, a strong start after coming off a huge 2022 season. Burns recorded his first double-digit sack season (12.5) last year, tied for eighth in the NFL. His 68 pressures tied for 10th in the league. He finished with 22 quarterback hits and a 13.7% pressure rate last season. He also was tied for seventh in the NFL in tackles for loss (17). 

Playing his first Monday night game, Burns will have the opportunity to show a national audience how good of a pass rusher he is — and up the ante on why he deserves to be paid among the elite pass rushers in the process.