Report: 49ers expressed interest in Brian Burns ahead of trade deadline

In the lead-up to this past Tuesday's trade deadline, the Carolina Panthers were reportedly fielding calls from several teams interested in acquiring star pass rusher Brian Burns. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the San Francisco 49ers were one of at least five teams inquiring about Burns' potential availability.

Ultimately, Burns stayed put with the Panthers, while the 49ers went on to secure former Washington Commanders defensive end Chase Young. It shouldn't surprise anyone that Burns was on the 49ers' radar, though.

"We were in a lot of discussions," general manager John Lynch shared with reporters this past week.

It's unknown how far discussions between the 49ers and Panthers went. Schefter notes that, despite receiving interest from multiple teams, the Panthers swiftly rejected all inquiries, suggesting that discussions may not have progressed very far.

"But the Panthers shut down those teams just as quickly as they inquired and had no intention of trading the coveted Burns, according to sources," wrote Schefter. "Last season, the Los Angeles Rams offered two first-round draft picks to the Panthers for Burns, but Carolina opted to hold on to him."

Lynch admitted to having a restless night before the trade deadline, doubting the likelihood of any deal coming to fruition. However, the 49ers managed to finalize their deal for Young just hours before the trade deadline.