Justin Houston is now with the Carolina Panthers!

Tori, I know you're looking forward to the Carolina Panthers this season. Oh yes. And I know a lot of Carolina Panthers fans out there are in a position of hope for the first time in a long time, if that makes sense.

Definitely need it, yes. Because hope has been a thing that has been long lost on this franchise. Few years. Really since, honestly, 2019, the start of the 2019 season because the 2018 season was going great, then we had the Cam Newton with the shoulder injury on that Thursday night football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, and we took that shot up high against the Steelers by T.J. Watt. And it's like, okay, still played a bit that season, but we knew the shoulder was a problem. Going into 2019, we're like, all right, let's see how the shoulder is and all that kind of stuff. They had the foot and ankle issues, which is something that he actually had dealt with, but never really actually took care of properly, it seemed like.

According to his own account, he's like, yeah, I kind of didn't bring up some of the injuries that I had. It's like, well. It's important. It's important.

Yes. It's okay. They don't just go away. It's okay to bring up your injuries. The training staff is there to help you recover from them and make sure you get on the field as fast as possible. So we dealt with the foot and all that stuff in 2019. Then Matt Ruhl comes in, then Cam's gone. And then just so after the 2019 season, like once Cam had the injuries and stuff, things just like, okay. It's a downward spiral.

It was a downward spiral for a long time. But after this off season, with Frank Reich coming in, trading up to get Bryce Young, there is hope for this upcoming season. Now, there were some questions about the roster and how things are going to shape out going into the year. Well, one of the biggest concerns was who's going to be opposite of Brian Burns as an edge rusher on defense, right? Brian Burns is awesome. He's a stud, which by the way, it looks super intimidating where he has the number zero one now.

He has like the visor and all that on. I love it. I was like, I do not want to mess with that guy. I'm here for it. I'm glad he's on our side. That's one thing. I'm glad that dude's on our side, but they bring in Justin Houston, a veteran, nine and a half sacks last season with the Baltimore Ravens to be an edge rusher, impossibly in rotation opposite of Brian Burns, not every down player, but someone that can be effective in obvious passing situations.

Frank Reich earlier today spoke to the media after the Carolina Panthers had their practice. Just talk about what does Justin Houston bring to the roster? Really excited to have Justin, you know, Justin is a really to add to that group. That group has been really good in camp. I feel like the development of that group has been outstanding.

And now to get to add Justin to the group is a big deal. He's a, you know, he's a physical specimen. He's an incredibly smart football player. He's a leader. He's the ultimate competitor. You know, I was with Justin in Indy and you know, I'm close with Justin. So this is firsthand personal knowledge of a guy who, who he's what we're all about.

Like, like a lot of these guys in this locker room. So we're trying to continue to add to that culture and he's, he's perfect for that. And on top of that, he's a great player. So that's something that I failed to mention, Victoria, is that Justin Houston played in Indianapolis for two seasons when Frank Reich was the head coach.

There is that familiarity there. So he talks about his leadership and that, and that, and, and what he brings in, in terms of the intangibles, Frank Reich knows that firsthand. So it's also, I think, an opportunity for the young guys that he's going to be with, including Brian Burns. I'm going to include him in this, at that position to learn from a veteran who's had a lot of success throughout his entire career. So think I, even just bringing that into your locker room is a good thing.

Absolutely. Much like how Andy Dalton is there to help teach Bryce Young, Justin Houston can help, not only just teach Brian Burns, but Amari Barno, DJ Johnson, Etor Grosmatos, Marquis Haynes when he's healthy, he could teach these guys as well. And this is something Frank Reich talked about how Justin Houston compliments Brian Burns as well as the other linebackers. I mean, obviously his production, you know, needs no you know, I mean, it speaks for itself. And so, and he's been productive in multiple ways. So one of the things that I know about Justin is he's, he's not only a great player, but he's a great teammate and a great mentor. He loves, you know, he kind of loves sharing his experience and helping the younger guys. So that's a big deal because we've got some young guys who we're really excited about. And so bringing Justin into the mix to, you know, have him do what he's going to do on the field, but yet helping those young guys around that's important to us.

So, yeah, like I said, being around some of these younger guys, teaching them is an absolutely vital thing. Well, Justin Houston also talked to the media. He had his physical today, he's officially down in Spartanburg.

He talked about the deal that he had, he signed with the Panthers and what his role is going to be with Carolina. To me, it was just less work on the body at this point in time. I think I was able to control more of what I'm doing and more, I think once you start practicing it and hitting against, hitting each other, it's more maintaining the body and then building the body. It's hard to build a body when you're breaking it down every day. So right now, as soon as it starts, it's more about maintaining and getting back together. So when I wasn't here, I was able to build because I wasn't hitting. So it's able to work on my body and continue to grow.

Okay. So that's Kim getting this up, you know, ready for the season. Yeah, training camp's been underway. He's not going to play in the preseason and stuff. It wouldn't surprise me that during the joint practices that he does some individual stuff on the side, you know, just to kind of get ramped back up next week was when we actually will see him in full pads and all that kind of stuff. So he's coming in in a pretty good situation.

Now he's likely, when he's out in the field, it's going to be opposite of Brian Burns. What are his impressions of number zero? I think he's a great guy. I think he's a leader. I love the way he practices. I love the way he works. I think I'm going to love playing with him.

It's been a while. That kind of talent don't come around often. He's proven already.

I think everybody sees and knows what he's got and the sky's the limit for that kid. So I think it's a situation that we can help each other. I'm excited for this matchup.

I'm excited too. So next thing is for Carolina Panthers, something they need to do. Now that you have Justin Houston, you have all these other young guys, again, opposite of Brian Burns. Can we sign Brian Burns, please? Can we get this contract worked out? I need to hear five years, whatever the dollar amount's got to be, six years, whatever it is, sign this guy long-term because guess what? There was reports last season at about the trade deadline that the, I think it was the LA Rams were offering, I think two first round picks, two future first round picks for Brian Burns. And you said, nope, keeping this guy.

If those reports are true, keeping this guy, which I'm like, all right, he's clearly just the dude. Right? Right. Let's do this. Yeah.

So I'm sorry. You're going to deny two first round picks if you don't sign them. Now I know there's the potential for a franchise tag and all of a sudden, don't even get into that mess.

No. Sign Brian Burns to a long-term contract, please. And thank you.

Yeah, just keep him. Scott Federer, I know you're listening. This show is across the state of North Carolina, The Adam Gold Show. So I, Dennis Cox, sitting in for Adam Gold today, want to just put it out there for you, Scott. I want you to hear this. Please sign Brian Burns. I'm not telling you what to do.

I'm not telling you how to do your job. Just saying sign Brian Burns to a long-term deal. That's it. That's all I'm saying. That's it. That's all I'm asking.

I'm a fan. Just asking. I'm not telling you what to do. I'm just asking. Directly. I'm directly asking by saying sign Brian Burns to a long-term deal.

Yeah. Politely. Please and thank you.

Please and thank you. Get the job done. Alarm.

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