Panthers' Brian Burns not practicing amid contract stalemate - ESPN

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Two-time Pro Bowl selection Brian Burns sat out his second straight scheduled practice on Monday, and there are no guarantees the Carolina Panthers outside linebacker will be on the field for Sunday's opener against the Atlanta Falcons if he doesn't have a new contract.

Coach Frank Reich, once again, called Burns choosing not to practice a «personal matter'' just as he did on Thursday before the team took a three-day break.

But when asked what changed with Burns between Wednesday, when he did practice, and now, Reich said, „I'm not involved in the contract negotiations. At all. I have zero [input].''

Reich added that owner David Tepper and general manager Scott Fitterer asked for his “certain views'' on the situation, which he expressed.

»I'm just worried about getting my team ready to play Atlanta,'' Reich said. «Do I hope he is there? Absolutely, I hope he is there. If he's not there, I'm not worried about it. Just move forward.»

Burns, 25, is scheduled to make $16 million this season after the Panthers picked up his fifth-year option as the 16th pick of the 2019 draft. He is seeking a long-term deal that will make him among the top paid edge rushers in the NFL.

He was at Bank of America Stadium for team meetings on Monday, just as he was on Thursday, making this more of a hold-in than a holdout. Approached during the media's open locker room session, Burns said, «I ain't got nothing to tell you.''

His decision not to participate in the last two practices came after he participated in all offseason workouts and training camp.

»This is personal, but I've been working on my relationship with God,'' Burns said last week when explaining why he didn't hold out then. «I left it in his hands. I just did