Brian Burns already shows what Giants are worth in battle with Andrew Thomas

Brian Burns wants the same thing the Giants want in the long run.

“Stability and safety,” the linebacker said Sunday during the team’s practice session.

Burns, 26, was signed for the largest contract for a defensive player in franchise history (five years, $141.5 million), and the Giants didn’t stay up until 3 a.m. the night before the deal regretted giving him that contract, and they couldn’t continue their cycle of major disappointments.

The sixth-year player said he watched the trading events on “Hard Knocks” and found it an “interesting side” to a story he had experienced.

He’s also likely noticed that Joe Schoen wants to prove that Burns was a better decision than his other move in year three, when he re-signed Daniel Jones.

So far, both sides seem happy with the way things are going and expect expectations to be met.

The Giants were particularly comforted by the intense battle between Burns and Andrew Thomas during training camp, which made it a rare occurrence for the offensive lineman to miss a few practice sessions.

“We say that a lot when we look at it as a coaching staff,” head coach Brian Daboll said of Thomas getting tested by Burns. “It’s fun to watch. It’s a fun matchup to watch. Those guys are going at it, making each other better. They’re both really good football players, so I think it helps us as a team.”

When asked about this rare occurrence, Burns quickly responded, “You said that never happens?”

“It’s a constant battle between me and him. I embrace the opportunity…” Burns continued. “Since he came back (from missing some time at OTAs), I’ve been on his side. We’re definitely going to make each other better. Today he kind of pissed me off. He beat me today. So tomorrow we have a battle. We definitely have to get that back.”

Besides Thomas, Burns and his fellow linebackers are adapting to the strategy of defensive coordinator Shane Bowen.

There isn’t as much blitzing required as the Giants have been accustomed to in previous years, instead putting more responsibility on the front four to apply pressure without the need for extra personnel.

“I take it seriously,” Burns said of his role. “That being said, we had too many quarterback scrambles today. I don’t think we kept a tight enough pocket today. It’s early. We’re still learning how to rush with each other, so it’s going to take time. But we’re getting better every day. I take it seriously, and that puts a lot of burden on our group, and I think we have the guys to do it.”

Burns was acquired from the Panthers on March 13 and had eight sacks, one forced fumble and one recovery in 16 games last season.