The pass rush of the New York Giants is one of the biggest reasons why several people around the league think they could be a potential sleeper team in 2025. Some have even gone as far as to think that the Giants could have a potential top-10 defense, and the pass rush is a big part of that claim.
Part of that pass rush that is expected to have an impact on the upcoming season is veteran Brian Burns, who was acquired last offseason in a trade with the Carolina Panthers. Burns finished second in sacks with 8.5; only Dexter Lawrence had more with nine. Burns did have a career high in tackles with 71. He also had 17 tackles for a loss, 18 quarterback hits, and two forced fumbles. His 48 solo tackles for edge rushers were second-best in the league.
To go along with that, Burns finished with a 78.5 overall grade by Pro Football Focus, which was 22nd best amongst the 211 edge rushers in 2024. Burns also finished with an 82.9 pass rushing grade as well, which was 12th best amongst those same 211 pass rushers. These numbers are pretty solid for a player who entered his first season in New York, right? Or so you would think.
ESPN is on one for omitting Brian Burns in their latest rankings
In ESPN’s survey amongst coaches, executives, and scouts to rank position players, Burns didn’t crack the top 10 and was given an honorable mention on the list, despite the fact that one anonymous talent evaluator gave him a really high praise.
"He's still got premier ability, someone you have to account for on every snap. If this was a skill-set conversation only, he'd be top five. He's got everything you want from that standpoint. But he just hasn't had the consistent production." -- NFL personnel evaluator
So why is Burns, who was ranked by ESPN at No. 10 in their previous rankings a year earlier, dropping out of the list, despite the fact that he was called a top-five talent on skill set? Apparently, it’s the Giants' fault.
“Burns was undeniably productive in his first year as a Giant, tallying 8.5 sacks, recording career highs in tackles (71) and pass deflections (8), and ranking fourth at his position in pass rush win rate. But the overall struggles of the Giants during their 3-14 season might have hurt Burns' profile among execs and scouts.”
So, according to these ESPN positional rankings, even though Burns had a pretty good 2024 season and put up solid numbers on a team that underperformed, he gets penalized in the rankings for a record that was out of his control.
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Maybe a disrespect in these rankings could be some pre-season motivation for Burns to have an even better second season with the Giants. He’s being counted on, along with Kayvon Thibodeaux, Abdul Carter, and Dexter Lawrence, to be a big part of the team that could carry the Giants to success.
Even though Burns didn’t get a deserved spot in the ESPN rankings, most fans know how important he is on the field and most also know that he’s not only a good pass rusher, but an overall good football player who will be crucial to Big Blue's success, especially on the defensive side of things.