During the NFL season, one of the major trade what-ifs occurred before the 2022 deadline when the Panthers declined a significant offer from the Rams for Brian Burns. This decision had a lasting impact on the Panthers as they passed on a better offer from the Giants in the end.

The Rams offered two first-round picks and a third for Burns, but the Panthers settled for a second-rounder and a swap of fifths from the Giants. Burns, who is a Pro Bowl edge rusher, held the failed trade against the Panthers and it affected their extension talks in 2023.

[RELATED: Giants Impacted Panthers’ Trade-Up For RB Jonathon Brooks]

Although the Panthers were planning to extend Burns in the 2022 offseason, negotiations did not progress until June 2023. The Rams had a deal on the table, but Burns’ asking price was too high for the Panthers. This led to a series of trade talks involving Burns, with the Bears inquiring before ultimately moving on to D.J. Moore.

The failed trade talks with the Rams turned into a successful trade with the Giants, where Burns received a lucrative five-year, $141MM deal with $76MM guaranteed at signing, making him one of the highest-paid edge defenders in the league.

Now, the Panthers have moved on from key players like Moore and Burns, with new additions in place for the OLB corps. As they look to the future, the team must find a new pillar at OLB to replace the impact of Burns in the long term.