AP sources: Giants acquire Burns from Panthers
The New York Giants have bolstered their pass rush with one of the top edge rushers in the NFL.
The Giants agreed to acquire Brian Burns from the Carolina Panthers, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press on Monday.
Burns is getting a five-year contract worth up to $150 million with $87.5 million in guarantees, according to the person who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the deal can't be completed until Wednesday.
The Panthers will receive a 2024 second-round pick and a 2025 fifth-rounder, according to another person who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the deal isn't finalized.
Burns, a two-time Pro Bowl pick, will sign his franchise tag to facilitate the deal. Burns becomes the second-highest paid defensive end in NFL history.
The Giants landed a marquee defensive player on a day they lost star running back Saquon Barkley to the Eagles. The Giants quickly replaced Barkley by agreeing to terms with Devin Singletary.
TITANS REPLACING HENRY WITH POLLARD
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Tennessee Titans are replacing four-time Pro Bowl running back Derrick Henry with Tony Pollard.
And they also worked to shore up their secondary Monday, agreeing to a deal with Cincinnati cornerback Chidobe Awuzie, two people familiar with the agreements told The Associated Press.
Pollard and the Titans agreed to a $24 million, three-year contract, a person familiar with the deal told the AP.
Awuzie's three-year deal for $36 million includes $23 million guaranteed, another person familiar with that contract told AP.
They spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because free agents can't officially sign with new teams until Wednesday when the NFL's new league year begins.
Pollard, 26, was a fourth-round pick by Dallas in 2019 out of Memphis. He has had backto-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons with the Cowboys using the franchise tag on Pollard for the 2023 season.
The Cowboys declined to tag Pollard for a second straight season despite him running for 1,005 yards and six touchdowns.
Pollard also had a career-high 55 receptions for 311 yards.
Pollard has 3,621 yards rushing in his career on 762 carries, averaging 4.8 per rush. He also has 176 receptions for 1,319 yards and five TDs.
SAINTS SIGN DAVIS
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The New Orleans Saints have agreed to terms with linebacker Demario Davis on a two-year contract through the 2025 season.
The agreement, announced Monday by Saints general manager Mickey Loomis, replaces the final year of a three-year extension that was set to end after the 2024 season.
The move, reportedly worth $17.5 million, lowers Davis' annual salary, which provides the Saints a measure of salary cap relief.
The 6-foot-2, 248-pound Davis has played in the NFL for 12 seasons, including the past six with New Orleans. He was drafted by the New York Jets out of Arkansas State in 2012 and has played one season for Cleveland.
Davis has 1,335 tackles (860 solo), 43 1/2 sacks, three interceptions, 55 passes defensed, four forced fumbles, eight fumble recoveries and 24 special teams stops. He is one of three active players with at least 1,300 stops, was selected to the past two Pro Bowls and was an All-Pro in 2019.
Last season, Davis started all 17 games and made a team-leading 121 tackles (74 solo), including 6 1/2 sacks and 12 tackles for loss. He also broke up four passes, forced a fumble and recovered a fumble.