The 2025 season was a slam dunk for New York Giants edge rusher Brian Burns. He was a driving force for this defense, amassing a career-high 16.5 sacks, a career-high three forced fumbles, and second-team All-Pro honors.
The veteran's prolific season should have vaulted him into elite territory. But ESPN did not go that route, declaring him the ninth-best edge rusher in the NFL, even putting him behind T.J. Watt.
Burns did receive some nice praise from one NFL coordinator who was not named: "He was more of a force consistently, more of a pain in the ass to play against."
Giants' Brian Burns remains underrated
This upcoming season is going to be a very interesting one for the Giants. With new additions all over the place, from the head coach all the way down to a new special teams coordinator, this team is a lot different than the 2025 version.
With that said, Burns needs to be the same kind of powerhouse on the edge. With a lot of uncertainty around him, Kayvon Thibodeaux having the worst year of his career, and Abdul Carter entering his sophomore campaign, the pass-rushing core has no clear expectation.
For Burns, being ranked ninth is only adding fuel to the fire. Sure, Burns is not better than Micah Parsons or Myles Garrett. But there are arguments to be made that put him ahead of players like Watt and Maxx Crosby. Last season's performance alone gives the Giants' defender an edge over other veterans at his position.
The knock here is on the inconsistency, as Burns' sack total was what he had in 2023 with Carolina (8) and his first season with the Giants in 2024 (8.5), combined. It could be a one-year wonder, and next season could be a decline for him.
For the Giants, the hope is that the supporting cast helps out Burns next season. Namely, Thibodeaux and Carter, but don't count out the guys in the middle like Tremaine Edmunds and newly drafted Arvell Reese. Both of those players are going to prioritize the middle of the field, but could be used in some all-out pass-rushes that generate some sacks.
Burns is going to be heavily relied on next season, and the pressure is going to be on. Can he live up to it and be higher on the list when this type of article runs again next year?
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