DETROIT -- Forget the ongoing struggles of Carolina Panthers rookie quarterback Bryce Young for a moment and focus on the frustration that is building around him.

Focus on the frustration of outside linebacker Brian Burns, who was so mad after defensive tackle Nick Thurman jumped offside on fourth-and-1 with 10:56 remaining in Sunday’s 42-24 loss to the Detroit Lions that he came to the sideline and slammed his helmet.

The Panthers were well on their way to their fifth straight loss of the young season, and that play didn’t impact the outcome. But it was the kind of mistake that has plagued Carolina on both sides of the ball, and for a moment Burns let that get the best of him.

“Yeah, I was frustrated,’’ Burns said afterward. “My passion came out. After I did that I went to my defense to apologize and let them know I’m still here.

“But it’s a passionate game. It’s not right for me to lash out because we make mistakes all the time. I didn’t have a perfect game. Nobody had a perfect game by any means. So yeah, I’ve got to keep my composure.’’

In many ways, Burns embodies the predicament the Panthers are in heading into next week’s game against the 4-1 Miami Dolphins (1 p.m. ET, CBS) in South Florida.

Yes, there is frustration over an 0-5 start few saw coming during training camp. Burns, who is in the last year of his contract, didn’t see it. He explained after a Week 1 loss to the Atlanta Falcons why he didn’t hold out while unsuccessfully trying to negotiate a long-term deal: He saw potential for this defense and this team to be great.

And he felt he was going to be a big part of that, so he had to be on the field.

That hope was one of many reasons the organization -- from coach Frank Reich to general manager Scott Fitterer -- refused to call this a rebuilding year.

It also explains why the organization turned down an offer last season of two first-round picks and a third-rounder from the Los Angeles Rams for Burns. The belief was Carolina could win now and be a factor in the NFC South despite having a rookie quarterback and the struggles that come with that -- and that Burns was a key player.

But as the losses mount, it's becoming more apparent this is a rebuilding year. And in hindsight, not having those draft picks for Burns will make the rebuild tougher.

Those aren't the only draft picks the Panthers are missing out on.

Carolina gave the Chicago Bears their 2024 first-round pick, a 2025 second-round pick and wide receiver DJ Moore -- among other things -- to move up to No. 1 to draft Young this year.

So adding talent around Young will be more difficult and likely have to be done through free agency, unless the Panthers decide to trade Burns before the Oct. 31 deadline to add picks.

It’s doubtful, however, they will get anything close to what the Rams offered.

So the frustration builds.

To Burns’ credit, he doesn't regret his decision to not hold out in an attempt to to force Carolina’s hand in negotiating a long-term deal. That leaves him facing the franchise tag next season if the deadlock continues in negotiations.

“I feel like if I start regretting or start feeling bad for myself, it’ll take away my pride for playing the game,’’ Burns said. “Yeah, I get frustrated. Nobody is perfect. I have bad days out there.

“I’m not afraid to look in the mirror and admit my wrongs. I’m not going to regret or feel bad for myself.’’

Reich understands Burns’ frustration. He meets with him and the rest of the team’s leadership council every Wednesday.

“I cannot say enough about Brian Burns,’’ Reich said. “He stands for everything you want a football player to stand for. Everything you want a leader to stand for, I mean that guy is -- he’s the epitome of what you want as a winner. That guy’s a winner and that’s where you feel bad for guys like that.

“He’s been here a long time. We’ve not been able to win, and he -- everybody deserves better -- but he deserves better. And I believe that’s why we’re here, and I believe that it can work out where he can see that.”

There was a lot of talk about looking in the mirror after Sunday’s loss, which leaves Carolina as the only winless team in the NFL. Young said the same thing Sunday following his second multi-interception game in four starts after having only two in 27 starts at Alabama.

His six turnovers on the season are a big reason for the winless start. His two interceptions Sunday contributed to 14 of the 21 points the Lions scored off turnovers.

In four games, his turnovers have accounted for 31 points by the opposition. And all 45 points the Panthers have given up after turnovers came when Young was the starter.

Young knows that. Reich knows that.

Each week they’ve addressed that. Each week the frustration has grown, and on Sunday, Burns showed his with a helmet slam that had nothing to do with Young’s mistakes.

If anybody had a right to show that frustration, it’s Burns. He has endured four straight losing seasons since Carolina made him the No. 16 overall pick of the 2019 draft, and he appears on his way toward another. He doesn’t have a new deal that will make him among the highest-paid edge rushers.

He has to endure what the Panthers are going through just as Young does.

“We’re all grown men,’’ Burns said, when asked what his advice to Young would be moving forward. “We’ve got to get back to work. I would just let him know you’ve got to weather the storm. It’s a lot of ups and downs that come in this league. I’ve been through a lot of them. He’s got to persist and go through it."