Before the Carolina Panthers used a franchise tag on Brian Burns, the pass rusher was projected to have a better fit by the Detroit Lions, Baltimore Ravens, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. With his innate talent on defense, there’s certainly a lot to like about his game.

The Panthers ended last season with the worst record in the NFL, with only two wins and 15 losses. Their defense was 29th in the league, and their offense was ranked 31st out of 32 teams.

Carolina Panthers, Brian Burns
Oct 1, 2023; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers linebacker Brian Burns (0) takes the field during the first half against the Minnesota Vikings at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports
Even if Carolina was frustratingly horrible last season, Burns’ performance on the defensive end of the field was one of the few bright spots. At age 25, the Panthers star has a lot of upside down the line. This is evident when he made a minimum of 7.5 sacks in each of his first five seasons.

As it stands, Burns was projected to make $108 million for his next contract. But since the Panthers used a franchise tag on him, his long-term contract and its value won’t be known yet.

Detroit Lions, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Baltimore Ravens Projected To Be Best Landing Spots For Brian Burns

Carolina Panthers, Brian Burns
Oct 1, 2023; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers linebacker Brian Burns (0) celebrates a sack during the second half against the Minnesota Vikings at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports
Before he was locked up by the Panthers, the Detroit Lions, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Baltimore Ravens were seen as having the ideal fit for Burns. Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report explained more in his article:

“The Detroit Lions should be near the top of Burns’ wish list. Detroit made it to the NFC title game this past season, has one elite edge-rusher in Aidan Hutchinson and could employ Burns as a dedicated edge in the Lions’ 3-4 base defense.

The Baltimore Ravens, similarly, employ a 3-4 base and just appeared in the AFC Championship Game. The Ravens have arguably an even bigger need for an edge-rusher with both Jadeveon Clowney and Kyle Van Noy scheduled to hit the market. Baltimore may be slightly less attractive than Detroit, though, since reaching the Super Bowl would require getting past the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are another playoff-caliber team that could use an edge-rushing linebacker. Burns would find a quality complement in Joe Tyron-Shoyinka, and he could help replace Shaquil Barrett, who was recently released by the Bucs,” Knox wrote.

Any of those three teams could have used Burns next season as they attempt to make the Super Bowl. In turn, Burns could have figured in a more prominent role and experienced going further in his career.

Carolina Panthers, Brian Burns
Nov 5, 2023; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers linebacker Brian Burns (0) before the game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
It’d be interesting to see whether Burns will secure a longer deal in Carolina or the franchise tag will just translate to another year with the team. In any case, it looks like the Panthers’ star is off the market now.

Carolina Panthers, Brian Burns
Dec 17, 2023; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers linebacker Brian Burns (0) is introduced before the game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports