Edge defender Brian Burns is in his third training camp with the New York Giants, and things are just a bit different than his previous two camps.
Burns’ previous two camps were held at the Giants’ facilities at the Quest Diagnostics Training Center in East Rutherford, N.J.
To start, there’s a stark difference between the scenery at the Giants’ facilities, nestled between MetLife Stadium’s parking lots and New Jersey route 3, and the lush greenery at Greenbrier Country Club in West Virginia.
“I definitely
look into the distance,” Burns said, talking about the scenery. “It’s beautiful out here. There’s a couple cribs up there [in the mountains], it’s nice. I notice quite a bit of things, we’re trying to figure out something to do on the off day, maybe we’ll go fishing or something.”
It’s a change of pace for someone born and raised in southern Florida (born in Fort Lauderdale, went to high school in Miami metropolitan area, college in Tallahassee), spent the first part of his NFL career in Charlotte, North Carolina, and the second part in northern New Jersey and New York City.
“I think I’ve seen an eagle or something,” he said. “There was a big bird that flew over the practice field when we was out there.
“I (didn’t) see no bears or nothing,” he added with a laugh. “I’m not trying to see that.
“It’s nice. It’s peaceful, a lot of mountains, trees, wildlife. So, you know what I’m saying, it’s a peaceful view, but there’s a lot of chaos on the field.”
Chaos on the field. That’s the kind of thing fans want to hear about. And that brings us to another feature of the Giants’ camp this year. The pretty, peaceful views stands in stark contrast to the intensity of camp under John Harbaugh.
“He’s intense,” Burns said of Harbaugh. “I knew that from his team meetings but, I mean Harbs, he’s all about ball, and that’s what you want in a head coach.”
“Every time he opens his mouth,” he added. “That’s who he is, he can’t help it. He’s got that intensity regardless. Enthusiasm I should say, not intensity.”
The enthusiasm and intensity is something Burns already likes about Harbaugh’s camp. It’s the way training camp should be.
“I don’t know about any of the younger guys that have been through it. Camp’s supposed to be hard,” he said. “Camps supposed to be hard, that’s how it’s supposed to be. I don’t know, man. We’re definitely going to work and I’m looking forward to it.”
“(Harbaugh) makes it very clear what he expects. He expects you to work. He expects you to be a pro, show up on time, prepared. He’s not a man for excuses, he understands stuff happens, but he ain’t trying to give too much of that.”
Burns noted that while the Giants only have two days off in the first 12 days of camp, there’s a good plan in place to allow players to recover. He noted that there’s a good balance between work and recovery so the players don’t “overdo” it, to use his words.
“Top priorities are obviously getting in football shape,” Burns said. “being in better condition than your opponent and I would say really just getting good at your identity. What you’re going to be calling most of the time. There’s a good handful of calls that you’re going to have that you can always fall back on. You need to be able to execute them against any look, any personnel that the offense may throw at you and that’s kind of what you need to focus on.”
The Giants were one of the best teams in the NFL at forcing third downs in 2025, but they were also one of the worst at getting off the field in those situations.
An enthusiastic training camp and a focus on identity and a foundation that can get opponents off the field should go a long way toward helping to fix the defense.
