New York Giants Restructure Brian Burns’ Contract to Create Cap Space.

The New York Giants recently restructured the contract of outside linebacker Brian Burns in order to create additional salary-cap space for the upcoming NFL season. According to reports from Spotrac, the team converted $22.75 million of Burns’ 2026 base salary into a signing bonus. This financial adjustment creates approximately $15.1 million in cap space for the Giants during the current season. Following the restructuring, Burns’ base salary for 2026 decreases significantly to about $1.3 million, which represents the veteran minimum salary for a player entering his eighth season in the NFL. As a result, his original cap hit of $36.55 million has been reduced to roughly $21.38 million for the year. While the move gives the team more flexibility now, it increases Burns’ future cap hits to about $44 million in both 2027 and 2028. Burns joined the Giants in 2024 after being traded from the Carolina Panthers and signing a five-year contract worth $141 million. Since arriving in New York, he has become one of the team’s most productive defensive players. During the 2025 season, Burns recorded a career-high 16.5 sacks in 17 games, earning his third Pro Bowl selection and second-team All-Pro recognition. His sack total also tied former Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul for the fourth-highest single-season sack total in franchise history.

In addition to his Pro Bowl honors, Burns was selected to the 2025 All-NFC team by the Pro Football Writers of America. Over two seasons with the Giants, he has accumulated 25 sacks, 138 tackles, 39 tackles for loss, and 49 quarterback hits. At 28 years old, Burns remains a key part of the Giants’ defense and has not missed a game since joining the team.

Although the restructuring creates additional salary-cap flexibility, the Giants are not expected to pursue major free-agent signings with the newly available funds. Instead, general manager Joe Schoen typically maintains between $10 million and $12 million in cap space during the season to cover practice squad promotions, injury replacements, and waiver claims.