The author of this article is Rob Maaddi, a writer for the Associated Press who covers professional football.

The Giants from New York have strengthened their ability to pressure the quarterback by acquiring one of the premier players for rushing from the edge in the National Football League (NFL).

According to an individual knowledgeable about the situation, the Giants have reached an agreement to obtain Brian Burns from the Carolina Panthers on Monday, as reported by The Associated Press.

According to a source who spoke on the condition of anonymity, Burns is set to receive a five-year contract with a maximum value of $150 million. The deal includes $87.5 million in guaranteed money and cannot be finalized until Wednesday.

According to a source who requested anonymity, the Panthers are set to receive a second-round pick in 2024 and a fifth-round pick in 2025 as part of a pending deal.

Burns, who has been selected for the Pro Bowl twice, has agreed to sign his franchise tag in order to finalize the contract. This makes Burns the second highest-earning defensive end in NFL history.

Last season, the Giants only recorded 34 sacks.

The Giants acquired a top-notch defensive athlete on the same day that they saw their star running back, Saquon Barkley, join the Eagles. However, the Giants promptly filled the gap left by Barkley by reaching an agreement with Devin Singletary.

Burns, who will be 26 years old next month, achieved 46 sacks during his time with the Carolina Panthers over the span of five seasons. Among Panthers players, only Julius Peppers, who was recently inducted into the Hall of Fame, had more sacks in his first five seasons. Burns’ performance in 2023 saw him record 50 tackles and eight sacks after transitioning from defensive end to outside linebacker when the Panthers adopted a 3-4 system.

The Panthers could have received more compensation if they had traded Burns last summer, as the Los Angeles Rams previously offered two first-round picks for the 2019 first-round draft pick. However, Burns’ current compensation is much lower.

Scott Fitterer, the previous general manager, has been dismissed as of last year.

The Panthers’ choice to release Burns will result in a savings of $24 million under the salary cap for this season. This is the amount he would have received as their franchise tag player. Despite attempting to negotiate a long-term contract with Burns last year and during the NFL combine, the Panthers were unable to reach an agreement.

The Panthers successfully replenished their draft assets.

In the upcoming April draft, they have a total of seven picks. This includes two second round picks at numbers 33 and 39.

Unfortunately, the Panthers decided to exchange their first-round pick for 2024, which ultimately ended up being the top pick overall after ending the season with a record of 2-15. This trade was made in order to acquire quarterback Bryce Young in the previous year’s draft.

The Carolina defense has faced another setback with the departure of starting outside linebacker Frankie Luvu, who has signed with the Washington Commanders. It will be a challenging loss for defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, who has decided to stay with Carolina after being unsuccessful in securing a head coaching position.

The Panthers have reached an agreement with free agent guard Robert Hunt, formerly of the Miami Dolphins. He will receive a hefty five-year, $100 million contract, with $63 million guaranteed.

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Steve Reed, AP Sports Writer, provided information for this report.

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NFL News from the Associated Press: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Source: wralsportsfan.com