Giants should feel great about Brian Burns' 2026 outlook

John Harbaugh has just over two months to get things rolling for the New York Giants before their season kicks off on Sept. 13 against the Dallas Cowboys.

This marks Harbaugh's first year as head coach of the team, and he has a bit of a chip on his shoulder after being let go from the Baltimore Ravens after 18 seasons.

Well, Harbaugh and the Giants can rest easy about at least one player going into the new season. Edge rusher Brian Burns is getting major props before the season starts.

Brian Burns gets a high ranking ahead of 2026 season

Jeremy Fowler of ESPN has a piece out on Wednesday naming the best edge rushers in the NFL before the 2026 season. ESPN surveyed league executives, coaches and scouts for the ranking, so it carries weight.

Burns landed at No. 9. He also gets major props for finishing second in the league with 16.5 sacks and notching the highest sack total by a Giants player since Jason Pierre-Paul in 2011.

"He was different than in years past," an NFL coordinator said of Bruns' showing in 2025. "He was more of a force consistently, more of a pain in the...to play against." That's a compliment in the NFL, of course.

So, the buzz is strong for Burns, and in a league that values edge rushers almost as much as quarterbacks, that means something for Harbaugh and the Giants.