The New York Giants will be very light on Pro Bowl players this year, with outside linebacker Brian Burns being the only one who made the cut. It’s not all that surprising, given the team slogged through a laughably miserable 4-13 season.
The 27-year-old had a remarkable second season with the G-Men, posting career highs in quarterback hits (31), tackles for loss (22), and sacks (16.5). Along with earning his third career Pro Bowl nod, he also added his first All-Pro second-team honor to his résumé.
Being the only Giant to earn the honor puts him in an interesting spot. It gives him a louder voice around the league and the chance to quietly work undercover, laying the groundwork with potential free agents who might be open to a change of scenery this offseason.
Burns’ mission, should he choose to accept it, would be targeting someone on the NFC side of the ball, preferably on defense... and ideally in the secondary.
With John Harbaugh bringing in Dennard Wilson to run the defense and adding up-and-coming DBs coach Donald D’Alesio to the staff, making a sneaky run at Pro Bowl fill-in cornerback Nahshon Wright is the kind of secret-agent move that fits a staff stacked with guys who know how to use him.
Brian Burns could secretly use the Pro Bowl to recruit Nahshon Wright to Giants this offseason
Wright has come a long way since being drafted 99th overall in the 2021 Draft by the Dallas Cowboys. The former Oregon State Beaver played in 32 relatively forgettable games across three years in Jerry's World before being traded to the Minnesota Vikings in 2024.
He'd spend most of the season plotting his ascension on their practice squad, appearing in just one game. And after being released by the Vikings, he signed a one-year prove-it deal with the Chicago Bears last offseason, and the rest is history.
The 6-foot-4, 200-pounder led the league in turnovers last year (five interceptions and three fumbles recovered), while adding 80 tackles and 11 passes defensed. He's almost like the exact opposite of what Deonte Banks was supposed to be, making him the ideal high-priced free-agent ticket Harbaugh and Co. should cash in on.
His arm length makes him a terror for opposing receivers on the outside. The 27-year-old possesses elite ball-hawking skills -- something the Giants desperately need -- and his size allows him to play big, blowing up routes and running plays. And because he’s lived life as a practice squad player hanging on by a thread, he understands exactly how not to waste an opportunity.
The only corner Big Blue can rely on is Cor'Dale Flott, who's about to hit the open market himself. So, there's a potential opening begging for a difference-maker.
Wright won’t come cheap. He’s projected to get the bag this offseason, somewhere in the $50 million range. But after years of watching the secondary struggle and finally having the right staff in place, sending Burns in with an ulterior Pro Bowl agenda might end up being one of the smartest moves of Harby’s first few weeks.