If Myles Garrett, arguably the greatest defensive player of the century to date, can get traded, then anybody is up for grabs. The Los Angeles Rams' earth-shattering acquisition of him not only flipped the NFL on its head but also put everyone on notice.
No one's truly untouchable, especially for a rebuilding club, and Garrett's the ultimate proof of concept. His still-shocking departure from the Cleveland Browns was an eye-opening reality check for several franchises to take a good, long look in the mirror. That's why FanSided's Wynston Wilcox identified the New York Giants' Brian Burns as one of four stars "on non-contenders" who could get dealt next.
However, there's only one problem with Wilcox's logic: the Giants aren't hitting the reset button — they're just retooling.
Giants fans have no reason to panic about the latest Brian Burns trade chatter
Cleveland was evidently ready for a clean slate, so they moved on from Garrett. Conversely, the G-Men have operated like a franchise hoping to turn the tide and snap their three-year playoff drought expeditiously, making Burns even more valuable.
Super Bowl-winning head coach John Harbaugh's arrival in the Big Apple is a testament to New York's desire to compete sooner rather than later. His $20 million average annual value is tied with the Kansas City Chiefs' Andy Reid for the highest in American sports.
Would a squad focused on the future make such a hefty commitment to someone of Harbaugh's stature? A legendary leader like him is brought in to contend in the present. So, the idea of the Giants parting ways with Burns doesn't feel any less realistic than it did before the Garrett bombshell.
Harbaugh has worked diligently to shape Big Blue in his image since getting hired, which means disciplined, physical football. He wants to control the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball, and Burns will be a key piece of the hard-nosed vision.
There's also the Kayvon Thibodeaux-sized elephant in the room, as Wilcox touches on. The talented young outside linebacker's name has churned through the rumor mill for months, to no avail, though. Finding a suitor for Burns is probably easier, albeit a marked downgrade for the Harbaugh-led squad.
Not to mention, New York then has to sign Thibodeaux, who's entering the final year of his rookie contract, to a lucrative long-term pact. At that point, why not hang onto Burns, one of the league's most dominant pass rushers?
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