Report: 49ers were one of 5 times to inquire about Panthers Brian Burns at the trade deadline

This won’t be the last time we hear about Burns if the team expressed interest in him

San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch didn’t shy away from the fact that the team was working the phones ahead of last Tuesday’s trade deadline.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Chase Young wasn’t the only target for the Niners. San Francisco, along with the Chicago Bears, both “expressed interest” in Burns this year, per Schefter’s sources. He also said the Jaguars, Falcons, and Ravens each reached out to Carolina.

Burns is 25, came into the weekend with five sacks and 12 tackles for loss, and is already knocking on the door of stardom. It’d be negligent not to call and see if the Panthers were willing to part ways with Burns.

But Schefter said the Panthers all but hung up the phone whenever they received inquires about Burns:

But the Panthers shut down those teams just as quickly as they inquired and had no intention of trading the coveted Burns, according to sources.

Last season, the Los Angeles Rams offered two first-round draft picks to the Panthers for Burns, but Carolina opted to hold on to him.

There still are questions ahead for Burns, who is in the last year of his contract and is scheduled to become a free agent after this season. The Panthers likely will use their franchise tag on Burns next year if the sides are unable to agree to a long-term deal.

It always comes back to the price. What were the 49ers willing to give up for Burns mid-season, and would that change if Burns is franchise tagged during the offseason?

Chase Young could very well be a rental for the Niners, which means the need for edge help would remain. San Francisco isn’t a stranger to acquiring an edge rusher on a franchise tag. The team traded a second-round pick for Dee Ford, then signed him to a five-year, $85 million contract in conjunction with the trade.

If you’re parting ways with a second rounder and getting Burns back in return, then his extension will be well worth it. We should keep an eye on how negotiations go in Carolina with Burns this offseason considering the 49ers openly expressed interest. That tells me that they’re willing to pay Burns.

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