The Carolina Panthers will exercise their fifth-year option on Pro Bowl edge rusher Brian Burns for 2023.
Burns, 24, will make $16 million guaranteed in 2023.
“We will pick up the fifth-year option and we have hopes of extending him after that,” Panthers general manager Scott Fitterer said Tuesday during a draft week press conference.
Fitterer also provided some insight into the team’s draft thinking, saying the Panthers could select a quarterback at the spot or trade out of the pick.
Fitterer said there are a couple of quarterbacks the team would be comfortable taking No. 6 overall. However, he said the team would listen to offers to trade out of the pick, though Fitterer would not want to fall back further than the mid-teens.
The first round is Thursday night.
Burns tied his career high with nine sacks in 2021, earning Pro Bowl honors. He started 16 of 17 games. Burns has 25.5 sacks in 48 career games (35 starts) since the Panthers selected him No. 16 overall out of Florida State in the 2019 draft.
