Where do you "rank" Burns as Panthers all-time DEs?

[TheBigKat]

Given the recent ankle issue and the upcoming MASSIVE contract he will be getting either this year or the next, where do you rank Burns as Panthers all time DEs. Me personally, I like Burns, I think he is very good, I don't view him as ELITE. He can go MIA easily for 2-3 games (see Tampa finale last year) where the ELITE ones show up week in and week out

 

1) Peppers- undeniably the best DE in franchise history

2) Rucker- great pass rusher, solid against the run

3) Johnson- yes he was BIG MONEY but the guy was a wall against the run and could bullrush to the QB

4) Hardy- yes he was a fruit basket but when the switch was on and it was GO time, the guy wreaked havoc and could take over a game

5) Burns- finesse pass rusher, Von Miller'esque but without the overwhelming strength to get to the QB, relies on speed. Not very good against the run, a very good OT can basically take him out of the game

[Daddy_Uncle]

Basically your list. Slightly ahead of Mario Addison and Al Wallace

Edited April 25, 2023 by Daddy_Uncle

[Diehardpanth02]

7 minutes ago, TheBigKat said:

Given the recent ankle issue and the upcoming MASSIVE contract he will be getting either this year or the next, where do you rank Burns as Panthers all time DEs. Me personally, I like Burns, I think he is very good, I don't view him as ELITE. He can go MIA easily for 2-3 games (see Tampa finale last year) where the ELITE ones show up week in and week out

 

1) Peppers- undeniably the best DE in franchise history

2) Rucker- great pass rusher, solid against the run

3) Johnson- yes he was BIG MONEY but the guy was a wall against the run and could bullrush to the QB

4) Hardy- yes he was a fruit basket but when the switch was on and it was GO time, the guy wreaked havoc and could take over a game

5) Burns- finesse pass rusher, Von Miller'esque but without the overwhelming strength to get to the QB, relies on speed. Not very good against the run, a very good OT can basically take him out of the game

You know in thinking about this, I think your rankings are pretty clear. I mean you do leave out some guys that could potentially be listed just because they had more sacks than burns: Mario Addison and Kevin Greene both had more sacks in a Panthers uniform than Burns. That's likely to change this year though.

But the part I think we are all missing with this, is again, it's a team sport. Individual stats leave out key details about the game. So therefore the productivity of the player is effected greatly. Think about the Guys peppers played across from and on the interior. Same for the rest of your guys on the list. CJ had Hardy, Kawann at his height, Star and a great linebacker core. Same for Hardy. Teams couldn't focus on them. That DA Rule left Burns out there to be keyed on with no real help surrounding him and he still manages to get to the QB. Something is to be said about that.

[SurvivalSloth]

I think Burns is talented enough to threaten Peppers' sack numbers as a Panther, but not his career. He has performed very well while still on a rookie deal, so let's lock him down and let Burns get after 'em.

[Ricky Spanish]

Burns over Hardy. Hell I'd put Addison over Hardy. 

Hardy had one good year followed by a great year then pissed it all away by being stupid. His personality was a contributing factor to his lore which is why people think he was better than he actually was. 

Burns also has more sacks in 4 years than Hardy did in 5. He's been more consistent. As was Addison - 4 straight years of 9+ sacks is damn good production. 

Peppers

Johnson

Rucker

Addison

Burns

Hardy

Not a knock on Burns at all, he's only played 4 years though. One more solid year and he jumps Addison and Rucker on my list. 

 

[Jon Snow]

You left Latham and Greene off your list. Burns is way down on the list. He hasn't earned anything yet.

[Smithers]

Peppers

Rucker

Johnson

Hardy

Addison

Lathon 

Wallace

White

Allen

Burns

Edited April 25, 2023 by Smithers

[Navy_football]

28 minutes ago, Ricky Spanish said:

Burns over Hardy. Hell I'd put Addison over Hardy. 

Hardy had one good year followed by a great year then pissed it all away by being stupid. His personality was a contributing factor to his lore which is why people think he was better than he actually was. 

Burns also has more sacks in 4 years than Hardy did in 5. He's been more consistent. As was Addison - 4 straight years of 9+ sacks is damn good production. 

Peppers

Johnson

Rucker

Addison

Burns

Hardy

Not a knock on Burns at all, he's only played 4 years though. One more solid year and he jumps Addison and Rucker on my list. 

 

Nah Ricky, I can't get with that. Greg Hardy was a different dude. I liked his game more than Peppers. Not saying he was better than Pep, but Hardy scared the ish out of QBs. Stats don't tell the story of how crazy he was on the field. How many times he pressured Brees and Ryan into doing dumb ish - two of the most poised QBs in the NFL. How many times he crushed QBs. He had a relentless motor. Non stop. That same crazy hurt him off the field, but that mofo is my #2. He ain't Peppers, but prime Hardy is a true difference maker. 

[mrcompletely11]

55 minutes ago, Jon Snow said:

You left Latham and Greene off your list. Burns is way down on the list. He hasn't earned anything yet.

the 96 3-4 defense is my all time favorite d.  They absolutely punished qbs

[Ricky Spanish]

30 minutes ago, Navy_football said:

Nah Ricky, I can't get with that. Greg Hardy was a different dude. I liked his game more than Peppers. Not saying he was better than Pep, but Hardy scared the ish out of QBs. Stats don't tell the story of how crazy he was on the field. How many times he pressured Brees and Ryan into doing dumb ish - two of the most poised QBs in the NFL. How many times he crushed QBs. He had a relentless motor. Non stop. That same crazy hurt him off the field, but that mofo is my #2. He ain't Peppers, but prime Hardy is a true difference maker. 

I can't put a flash in the pan that high on the list. I get the argument, dude was a menace for two years, but longevity is a contributing factor for me. 

[TheBigKat]

46 minutes ago, Smithers said:

Peppers

Rucker

Johnson

Hardy

Addison

Lathon 

Wallace

White

Allen

Burns

Savage

[Varking]

I think your list is good. And for those lowering Hardy I think you should remember he was the guy on the sidelines getting the D amped up between drives. When he got going we were special and everyone fed off of it. I wish he could have maintained that without the off the field stuff because I feel like our defense is missing that type of player on it that just has all the confidence in the world that we are taking over games, and letting our opponents know it. 

[TheBigKat]

5 minutes ago, Varking said:

I think your list is good. And for those lowering Hardy I think you should remember he was the guy on the sidelines getting the D amped up between drives. When he got going we were special and everyone fed off of it. I wish he could have maintained that without the off the field stuff because I feel like our defense is missing that type of player on it that just has all the confidence in the world that we are taking over games, and letting our opponents know it. 

‘When the next level comes I was already there’

 

 damn I miss this dude and you’re right, the team needs this kind of mental enforcer

 

 

[WarPanthers89]

It’s hard to tell, he was misused his rookie year and only has 4 years under his belt. If he’s constant he can end up being top 2-3 but you are comparing people with full careers vs 4 years of production. In 4 years he has 2 less sacks than Greg Hardy did in his career.

Edited April 25, 2023 by WarPanthers89