‘I’m a little disappointed.’ Why Panthers rookie Brian Burns isn’t playing more
At one point this season, Carolina Panthers defensive end Brian Burns looked like a serious contender for NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year.
But Burns has fallen off the map the last few weeks for the Panthers (5-5), barely playing during Carolina’s two most recent losses and making little impact on the team for the past month.
The Panthers’ first-round draft choice in April, Burns played only 21 percent of the defensive snaps in the Panthers’ losses to Green Bay and Atlanta. Of his playing time, he said after Sunday’s game: “I’m a little disappointed.”
Burns understands the reasoning, however. He also said he’s going to “trust the process” and figure he will be back on the field more often at some point.
The Florida State product has been hit with a double whammy — veteran edge rusher Bruce Irvin came back from an early-season hamstring injury and Burns exacerbated his own wrist injury after pounding the ground in frustration during a game in late September. Over the past four games, Burns hasn’t been effective when he has played, only registering one tackle.
“It’s just all about a rhythm,” Burns said after Sunday’s 29-3 loss to Atlanta. “It’s hard to get into a rhythm playing like a snap here, a snap there. I mean it’s just about getting into your groove, because you’ve got to set up your rush. You can’t just come in one third down and, two series later, come in another third down.”
Burns had at least a half-sack in five of Carolina’s first six games — two of them after the wrist injury — and that came after an outstanding preseason. He started his first four NFL games because of Irvin’s hamstring injury and posted 4.5 sacks in Carolina’s first six games, as well as a 56-yard fumble return for a score. That sack total still ranks second on the team to Mario Addison, but Burns’ last sack came a month ago.
“Once you have a start like I did ... “ Burns said, and then paused. “But that was because Bruce (Irvin) was out. I already knew my place. I just knew because he was out, I had to step up. But once you get that many snaps and you kind of get cut to where you are now, it’s a little disappointing. But I’m just going to trust the process. Keep pushing. Keep pounding.”
Sack on 2-point play
Panthers coach Ron Rivera has said several times in recent weeks that Burns has been struggling due to his injury. Monday, Rivera said Burns had been better against Atlanta. He pointed to a sack and forced fumble Burns had on quarterback Matt Ryan on Atlanta’s attempted two-point conversion in the third quarter. The sack didn’t officially register, however, because statistics don’t count for two-point conversions, except for scoring plays.
“He had his moments,” Rivera said of Burns’ performance Sunday. “There were a couple (of plays) that we thought were really good rushes, and a couple he stalled on. ... But he did have a couple of flashes that reminds you why he potentially will be a really, really good player.”
At 21, Burns is the youngest Panther. His terrific speed rush and his athleticism got him drafted No. 16 overall. But as offensive tackles have started playing him for the speed rush, he hasn’t developed an NFL-ready counter move that works with regularity.
“The hard part for Burns is if you’re going to go to counter, and you’re favoring one side already, you’re going to have even more trouble,” Rivera said. “And that’s some of what he’s run into. Sometimes he’s not able to win off the initial (move), and he’s got to try to counter with that bad hand.”
More snaps vs. Saints?
Burns said his right wrist was already somewhat injured throughout training camp and that he wore a splint in many practices. But after he deflected a punt against Houston on Sept. 29 that he thought he should have blocked completely, he punched the ground in a moment of frustration.
That led to Burns having minor surgery over the bye week on the wrist and then to wearing various levels of padding over the injury during each of the past three games.
“The last two weeks, I’ve been feeling like myself,” Burns said. “Without that club (the heavy padding he wore against San Francisco Oct. 27), if I can keep my fingers out? I feel great. Of course, if it (the wrist) gets hit a certain spot, I might feel it. But other than that, I feel good.”
Now it’s a matter of returning to form. The NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award is likely beyond Burns’ grasp. San Francisco rookie defensive end Nick Bosa (seven sacks, one interception) has been extremely effective for one of the league’s best teams.
But quarterbacks? They shouldn’t be beyond Burns’ grasp — not for this long, not with his talent.
After averaging 40 defensive snaps in his first eight games, Burns had only 11 snaps against Green Bay and then 16 vs. the Falcons. I’d give him at least 25-30 at New Orleans on Sunday — why not?
With the way the Panthers are playing lately, it couldn’t hurt.
This story was originally published November 18, 2019 at 3:54 PM with the headline "‘I’m a little disappointed.’ Why Panthers rookie Brian Burns isn’t playing more."
