The Carolina Panthers selected Brian Burns with the 16th overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. With his first season as a pro under his belt, it's safe to say that Carolina got a cornerstone player for years to come.
Coming out of Florida State, Burns was regarded as one of the best edge rushers in the draft. The former Seminole was able to show off his knack of finding ways to the quarterback in the preseason.
In his three preseason contests, Burns contributed seven tackles, four sacks, and a forced fumble for the Panthers. The first-year defensive end gave the fans in Carolina a preview of what he's capable of in the preseason.
The skilled pass rusher would carry over his momentum into the regular season. In his first six games, Burns combined for 15 tackles, 4.5 sacks, three tackles for loss, 11 quarterback hits, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery for a touchdown.
The rookie edge defender stuffed the stat sheet and would see a decrease in the production for the rest of the season. With that in mind, what letter grade does Burns deserve for his first season in the NFL in 2019?
Brian Burns' grade for the 2019 season: B
After a fast start to his season, Burns finished his rookie campaign with 23 tackles, 7.5 sacks, five tackles for loss, and 16 quarterback hits. The Panthers' young pass rusher also managed to have a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, and a touchdown.
But similarly to the Panthers' overall season, his performance began to falter during the latter part of the season. However, part of the reason why is he began to receive fewer snaps as the season progressed due to Mario Addison and Bruce Irvin starting.
To begin the season, Burns started in Carolina's first four games. As a result, he had more opportunities to make plays for Carolina's defense as a full-time defensive end.
But after Irvin was able to make his return from an injury, Burns saw his role diminish. At the least, Burns finished the season strong by tallying two sacks, a tackle for loss, and two quarterback hits in the final two weeks of the season.
Altogether, the Panthers should consider Burns' first season with the franchise a major success. With Addison and Irvin possibly heading toward free agency, Burns gives the Panthers a formidable replacement at defensive end.
At the same time, Burns has the talent to become one of the best pass rushers in the NFL. Despite starting in only five games in 2019, Burns provided some optimism for the future for the fans in Carolina.
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