In fact, as the only returning defensive captain from last year’s team, it’s now Burns’ defense.
“That’s the way I’m looking at it,” Burns said. “It’s kind of a nod to what I’ve done and the success I’ve achieved, but I don’t take it lightly at all and I’m very grateful for the opportunity.”
Fortunately, Burns is far from alone. New York spent the fifth overall pick on Ohio State quarterback Arvell Reese, a player whose surge to the top of the first round seems legitimate, given how pleased coach John Harbaugh was with Reese’s performance in rookie minicamp.
Burns’ first impressions were also positive.
“I got to see him in person, see his size, I really like his mentality,” Burns said of Reese. “I really like what he said in the media and I know it’s not ugly when he said he’d rather be seen than heard. That’s telling as a rookie. I appreciate that a lot.
“I’ll take his temperature the more I’m around him. We don’t have a chance to talk too much. He carries such a business-minded persona, so as a rookie I think that’s important. He’s trying to show the vets that he’s about his business and he’s going to come in to work.”
That kind of mentality is exactly what’s needed in New York, home of a struggling club looking to turn the tables under Harbaugh in 2026. That’s one thing Burns will appreciate, especially as he looks for new reliable teammates to join the backcourt.
With Reese, freshman center Tremaine Edmunds, veteran interior linemen DJ Reader and Shelby Harris, and former first-round cornerback Greg Newsome also arriving in 2026, Burns will have plenty of teammates to learn from. All the while, he will be looked to as their guide as they aim to reach the NFL mountain.