New York Giants standout linebacker Brian Burns was recently named one of the top 100 NFL players entering the 2024 season.
Dan Salomone of Giants.com relayed the league’s official rankings, which placed Burns at No. 55 overall, as the NFL shared on X on Thursday:
Giants’ Brian Burns has been one of the best sack artists in the NFL since 2022
Burns was a force to be reckoned with in 2023 as a member of the Carolina Panthers. The two-time Pro Bowler notched 50 total tackles, eight of which were sacks, along with a forced fumble on the campaign. He received a 73.8 player grade from Pro Football Focus for his efforts. The Florida State product also finished No. 8 in the league in tackles for loss.
In the last two seasons alone, Burns has 20.5 combined sacks. He’s been a menace for offensive lines to deal with as an elite edge rusher. His addition to the Giants’ already strong defense makes them a unit that could contend for the title of the best defense in the league in 2024. He’s also a foundational piece that the Giants can use to build a Super Bowl-worthy roster in future seasons.
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How Burns stacked up against the field
Burns came in ahead of Houston Texans superstar wide receiver Stefon Diggs (No. 56) and behind Washington Commanders defensive tackle Jonathan Allen (No. 54) in the rankings. Diggs made the Pro Bowl in 2023 for the fourth consecutive time in his career behind his sixth-straight 1,000-yard season, finishing with 1,183 receiving yards. Meanwhile, Allen maintained his status as a high-end pass rusher despite a down sacks total of 5.5 sacks recorded in 2023.
Burns will have the chance to put together another career-defining season on the upcoming campaign with a ton of healthy competition around him. Fellow linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux is gunning for Giants legend Michael Strahan’s single-season sacks record, while the Giants also have star LB Bobby Okereke in their trenches and a talented defender in Micah McFadden who could be primed to take the next step in his career next season.
This may bring out the best in Burns and motivate him to put forth production on the field that could even exceed his 12.5 sacks from 2022.
