Brian Burns was convinced Dexter Lawrence wasn't playing anywhere but in New York, in Giants blue and red, in 2026.
He soon learned he was wrong. Less than a week after telling the New York Post he could only see a future that included Lawrence in the Big Apple, the Giants fulfilled Lawrence's trade request, sending him to Cincinnati in exchange for the Bengals' No. 10 overall pick in the 2026 draft.
"Man, I've been in this league long enough to understand 'next man up' whenever somebody leaves," Burns on Tuesday. "I was just really going to bat for my teammate.
"He made a decision. It already happened. We kinda got to live with it. Of course I don't want to play without him because that's my friend, along with he's a great player, but we got some things out of it, and we just got to move on."
Moving on means Burns rises to the role of the most senior member of the Giants' defense, a unit that has seen plenty of turnover -- and nearly as much offseason investment -- over the last few offseasons. Throughout the changes, Burns has remained as a reliable starter, arriving as a blockbuster acquisition whose job has increased in importance entering the new campaign.
Effectively, as the only returning defensive captain from last year's squad, it's now Burns' defense.
"That's how I'm kinda looking at it," Burns said. "It's kind of a nod to what I've done and the success that I've had, but I don't take that 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 linebacker Arvell Reese, a player whose rapid ascension to the top of the first round seems legitimate, judging by how pleased coach John Harbaugh was with Reese's showing during rookie minicamp.
Burns' first impressions were positive, too.
"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 kinda know it's not fluff when he said he'd rather be seen than heard. That speaks volumes as a rookie. I really appreciate that.
"I will test his temperature the more I'm around him. We haven't got the chance to talk too much. He does carry that kinda business-minded persona, so as a rookie, I feel that's important. He's trying to show the vets he's about his business, and he's gonna come in to work."
Such a mindset is exactly what's needed in New York, home to a struggling club looking to reverse fortunes under Harbaugh in 2026. It's one Burns will happily accept, especially as he looks for a new trustworthy teammate to join on the field.
With Reese, new middle linebacker 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. All the while, he'll be looked to as their guide as they aim to scale the NFL mountain.
