Nick Bosa is not at 49ers camp, but another edge rusher in the market for a new contract is taking a different approach.
Brian Burns reported to Panthers camp on time and took part in his first practice of training camp on Wednesday. He told reporters that he never considered holding out of camp because he and the team have not reached agreement on a contract extension yet.
“I was going to show up,” Burns said, via Augusta Stone of the team’s website. “I would say mainly just because I missed it. I missed being with my defense. And I kind of feel like what we’ve got going is bigger than — I don’t want to say it’s bigger than my individual goals, because those matter, of course — but I feel like what we’ve got building is bigger than that. And I feel like I’m a key piece to what we need to get done. So I feel like I need to be here. Whether or not I’m going through negotiations, or whatever.”
General Manager Scott Fitterer said Tuesday that there have been “good conversations” with Burns and that neither side feels like “it has to be done by this time or that time.”
Until it is done, Burns will continue working in the defense being installed by new coordinator Ejiro Evero and preparing for what all involved hope will be another productive season.
