New York Giants’ Brian Burns named one of ‘riskiest contracts’ of 2024

The New York Giants made a big splash early in free agency, acquiring edge rusher Brian Burns from the Carolina Panthers.

The trade was contingent on the Giants signing Burns to a new contract, which they did, agreeing to a five-year, $141 million deal.

That’s a whole lot of money for the 25-year-old Burns, which has some skeptical of the trade. Among them is Gary Davenport of Bleacher Report, who named the Burns deal among the NFL’s eight riskiest contracts of 2024.

Burns has already been named to a pair of Pro Bowls and logged 12.5 sacks as recently as two years ago.

But Burns is now the second-highest-paid edge-rusher in the league in terms of average annual salary. He makes more per season than T.J. Watt of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Myles Garrett of the Cleveland Browns. His cap hit will spike to almost $30 million in 2025.

And that 12.5-sack 2022 season is the only time Burns has hit double digits.

Burns has been highly productive throughout his career despite having very little talent around him. In New York, he’ll be paired with Kayvon Thibodeaux and Dexter Lawrence, allowing him to operate more freely. The contract given to him by the Giants is reflective of what they believe he can do rather than what he’s already done.

As general manager Joe Schoen often says, “scared money doesn’t make money.”

The Giants are banking on Burns to be money.