One of the countless things that will change for the Carolina Panthers this year is their defensive scheme. Last season, former coach Ron Rivera switched to a 3-4 base defense. While it helped the pass rush, he didn’t really have the personnel to pull it off and this eventually became the worst run-defending unit in the entire league.
This year, coach Matt Rhule and defensive coordinator Phil Snow are switching the team back to a 4-3 scheme. While it should fit who they have on the roster better in general, some guys will have to adjust. One key name is Brian Burns.
During his rookie year, Burns showed exceptional burst, speed and leverage off the edge. At times he was shut down by more powerful offensive tackles, though. Good news on that front: Burns told reporters in a Zoom call today that he put on about 15 pounds this offseason and plans to play around 255.
The wrist injury was an underrated factor in Burns’ less-impressive second half of the 2019 season. He still finished the year with 7.5 sacks and 16 quarterback hits, though. Adding more muscle should help Burns compete with the likes of Terron Armstead and Jake Matthews.
Burns’ improvement in his second season is one of the best reasons for Panthers fans to feel excited about this year. It’s unclear who will be starting on the other side of the defensive line, though.
