The New York Giants are in freefall, scrambling to find stability after another dreadful start, but one offseason gamble is already paying off. While the offense continues to stumble, star pass rusher Brian Burns has been nothing short of dominant, giving the Giants at least one reason to believe their investment was well worth it.
A bold trade paying early dividends
When the Giants shipped draft picks to the Carolina Panthers for Burns in 2024 and immediately signed him to a five-year, $141 million deal with $87.5 million guaranteed, it was viewed as a franchise-defining swing. Burns was talented, no question, but the contract put him in the league’s elite tier. Through three weeks to open the 2025 season, he’s proving he belongs there.
Burns has already racked up 13 pressures and three sacks, showing the disruptive burst that made him a coveted trade target. Project those numbers over a full season, and he’d finish with 73 pressures and 17 sacks — production that would put him among the most impactful defenders in recent memory.
The pass rush taking shape
The Giants didn’t stop with Burns. They also used the third overall pick in April to draft Abdul Carter out of Penn State one year later, adding another young weapon to a defensive front designed to terrorize quarterbacks. Carter is still developing, but the veterans are carrying the load.
Kayvon Thibodeaux looks sharper than ever, building off his natural athleticism with more polish in his pass-rush repertoire. Pairing Thibodeaux’s growth with Burns’ All-Pro form has given the Giants the kind of one-two punch they envisioned when constructing this defense. For a team otherwise struggling to find identity, the pass rush has become the one true constant.
Burns’ impact goes beyond the numbers
The beauty of Burns’ game isn’t just in the sack totals. His presence forces offensive lines to shift protections, freeing up teammates like Dexter Lawrence to feast on mismatches. Even when he doesn’t get home, his speed off the edge collapses pockets and throws quarterbacks off rhythm.
He plays like a chess master who always thinks two moves ahead. Offenses know he’s coming, but that doesn’t mean they can stop him. That kind of gravity is rare in football, and it’s already reshaping how opponents game plan against the Giants.
The pressure on Jaxson Dart
As impressive as Burns has been, football is still a complementary sport. The defense can only carry so much weight if the offense can’t match it. That’s why the Giants are turning to rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart, who is expected to take over under center in hopes of injecting life into an anemic unit.
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If Dart can provide even competent offensive production, it will allow the defense’s dominance — headlined by Burns — to matter where it counts most: the win column. Burns is setting the tone on defense with relentless effort and All-Pro impact, but without help on the other side of the ball, his brilliance risks being overshadowed by team failure.
The Giants may not have many answers right now, but one thing is clear: Brian Burns is delivering exactly what they paid for — and then some.
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