‘Relentless’ Brian Burns ready to do great things with Giants
The Giants sent the Carolina Panthers a pair of draft picks for defensive end Brian Burns and handed the two-time Pro Bowler a five-year contract worth up to $150 million with $87.5 million guaranteed.
What kind of player are the Giants getting?
“They're getting somebody that's coming to work, always be professional, always be a pro, that's number one,” Burns said in his introductory news conference over Zoom on Wednesday after the trade was finalized at the start of the new league year.
“Other than that, I'm coming to work, I'm relentless. They're getting a playmaker,” he continued. “They're just getting a guy that's going to really enjoy the process, take it day by day. I really take a lot of pride in getting better.”
Burns, who will turn 26 in April, added he is a team guy and “natural leader" who is ready to join a defense on the rise that he feels he can “learn from.”
“New York has a ton of young pieces,” he said of Big Blue’s defense, mentioning Kayvon Thibodeaux and Dexter Lawrence specifically.
“They’ve got dogs on the inside, they’ve got a dog behind them in the linebacker corps. So, there's a lot of talent on this team,” Burns said.
As far as Thibodeaux goes, Burns anticipates a mutually beneficial relationship on the practice field and a competitive spirit.
“I definitely think we could complement each other more in practice because I feel like he could teach me some things, I could teach him some things, and we could really bounce ideas off of each other,” the new Giants said. “That's really how pass rushers come up with a lot of their moves and their plans for that week. I think that will be the main thing is the IQ.”
After recording eight sacks with a forced fumble and fumble recovery in 16 games last season for Carolina, Burns said after coming to New York he is “ready to do great things.”
And that will include a bit of a competition with his fellow former first-round draft pick.
“I think it will be healthy competition. We're definitely going to push each other because he's very talented, as well am I,” Burns said. “But it's all fun and games. I think we're going to make each other a lot better, honestly. It will definitely be healthy competition for sure.”
