If there’s been one constant through the New York Giants’ chaos these past few seasons, it’s the feeling that the roster was always one foundational piece short. Draft swings, odd free-agent bets, and inconsistent coaching left the team searching for something stable to anchor the defense. This year, they finally found that presence in Brian Burns.

The Giants’ roster construction hasn’t been flawless. Poor coaching undermined development at multiple positions, which is a major reason Brian Daboll is gone and general manager Joe Schoen remains in evaluation mode. But Schoen’s boldest move — landing Burns in a trade with Carolina — is already aging like a franchise-changing decision.

Burns has delivered exactly what the Giants paid for

New York sent the Panthers a 2024 second-round pick,

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