CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Carolina Panthers placed the non-exclusive franchise tag on edge rusher Brian Burns on Tuesday, guaranteeing their leader $24 million this season.
The move was expected after negotiations on a long-term deal stalled, including a meeting with his agent last week at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis.
“We love Brian. Brian is a tiger, and he's someone I know and am close with,” new general manager Dan Morgan said at the combine.
Burns is the first player the Panthers have used the tag since 2021, when they placed him at right tackle Taylor Moton, who signed a four-year, $72 million contract before the season began.
The aim remains to sign Burns to a long-term deal. Carolina also wants to re-sign free agent linebacker Frankie Lufo and sign defensive tackle Derrick Brown to a long-term deal.
Brown, the seventh pick of the 2020 draft, has a cap value of $11.6 million as he heads into the fifth year of his rookie deal.
The Panthers tried to sign Burns to a long-term deal after the 2022 season, when he had a career-high 12.5 sacks and was selected to the Pro Bowl for the second straight year.
However, talks collapsed before the 2023 season, with Burns seeking a wage among the NFL's highest-paid running backs on a deal averaging about $30 million annually, a league source familiar with the negotiations told ESPN.
Burns' sack total dropped to eight last season, but the 2019 No. 16 draft pick out of Florida State said he still wants a wage among top rushers, insisting he earned that right last season.
“Given our circumstances, that's what it is,” Burns said after the 2023 season. “But my feeling has never changed from that point to now, because I put in the work in four years before that.”
Burns, 25, also said his sacking total was influenced by the fact that the Panthers – who finished a league-worst 2-15 last season – were unable to maintain their lead in the fourth quarter.
This was also his first full season as an outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme after spending most of his NFL career as a defensive end in a 4-3 scheme.
His 46 sacks over the past five seasons rank 13th in the NFL during that time period.
Other players the Panthers have used the tag on are cornerback Josh Norman (2016), defensive end Greg Hardy (2014), center Ryan Kalil (2011), defensive end Julius Peppers (2009), left tackle Jordan Gross (2008) and punter Todd. Sauerbrunn (2003). Norman's tag was removed after he refused to sign it. He went on to sign a five-year, $75 million deal with Washington.
ESPN's Dan Graziano contributed to this report.
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