Giants counting on Brian Burns to break cycle of recent big-money mistakes
NY Post
The Giants didn’t pay record-setting money for slow Burns, sick Burns or freezer Burns.
While the return of Daniel Jones from a torn ACL and Malik Nabers replacing Saquon Barkley as the offensive focal point might be the two-pronged talk of the first few days of training camp, pass-rusher Brian Burns is about to discover that effort, durability and production constantly are judged under the New York microscope.
The Giants think he is the perfect fit to check all three boxes.
General manager Joe Schoen’s decision to trade for Burns and sign him to the largest defensive-player contract in franchise history (five years, $141.5 million) is a domino that rippled across the rest of an offseason — most notably the second round of the NFL draft — that ends Tuesday when veterans report for camp.
The pressure is on Schoen for the trade result to turn out better than the other signature decision of his three-year tenure: Re-signing Jones to a four-year, $160 million extension in 2023.
And it is on Burns — the NFL’s third-highest-paid but 10th-best edge-rusher, according to a recent ESPN poll of league sources — to buck a recent history of disappointing introductory seasons by the Giants’ big-ticket additions.
The Jets were quiet on Day 2 of free agency after adding a new quarterback Monday.
WINNIPEG, Manitoba — Brett Berard has displayed both a fiery passion and an admirable patience in the last six months of his hockey career, which reached the NHL level for the first time at the end of November.
PORT ST. LUCIE — The baseball calendar says the Mets have about two weeks until Opening Day, but Francisco Lindor’s mind is on another timetable as these dog days of spring training pass.
The man with the best nickname on the team is one of the few Knicks who has made it this far relatively unscathed in the court of public opinion.
For a guy who seemingly is always headed out the door, Darius Slayton has a way of never leaving.
WINNIPEG, Manitoba — The Rangers stood by their defensive structure in the immediate aftermath of their Weekend of Missed Opportunities, in which they had two chances to capture the top wild-card spot in the East and failed to do so in such disappointing fashion.
PORT ST. LUCIE — Luis Torrens helped inject life into the Mets’ season last year but now faces even larger responsibilities with the team.
The Jets are having a Fields Day.
SACRAMENTO — P.J. Tucker understands his reputation as a hard-nosed player who is willing to vocalize displeasure.
The Yankees have insurance on Gerrit Cole, which is a positive thing in a very worrisome situation.
Could’ve, would’ve, should’ve, oh, the Rangers might’ve had a weekend if they had only buckled down after taking a 3-1 lead into the final 10 minutes in Ottawa on Saturday.
GLENDALE, Ariz. — The Dodgers’ last two steps to a championship were eliminating the New York teams last October, and it is hard to miss how much of a better February and March Los Angeles is having as well.
The Jets kicked off free agency by keeping one of their own.