Ahead of their second preseason matchup Saturday night, the New York Giants and Jets faced off in a joint practice Tuesday, giving fans an early taste of the “Battle of MetLife”. And with the state of New Jersey boasting two of the best defenses in the NFL, the morning went exactly as you’d expect: a tough, low-scoring affair where the defenses shined.
For Big Blue, Abdul Carter and Brian Burns were among the standouts from the session. Just like he has all summer, the No. 3 pick out of Penn State turned heads when displaying his knack for getting to the quarterback. And he even received an endorsement from Jets head coach Aaron Glenn, who was a three-time Pro Bowl defensive back in his heyday.
"He's a grown man...he didn't shock anybody by some of the things that he can do,” Glenn told SNY. “He's a damn good player. He’s gonna be able to make some plays in this league.”
Jets head coach Aaron Glenn knows Abdul Carter is poised to be a star
Throughout the afternoon, Carter was making plays in the backfield. In one particular rep, the 21-year-old was facing Jets center Joe Tippman and made him look silly. The ex-Nittany Lion showed shades of his mentee, Micah Parsons, by breaking into the backfield in seconds for a would-be sack on Justin Fields.
Abdul Carter is gonna have double digit sacks by Week 8.
— Alex Wilson (@AlexWilsonESM) August 12, 2025
🎥@carlymersky
pic.twitter.com/0G5o2HzFXD
And Tippman isn’t just any center, his 73.4 PFF grade in 2024 ranked ninth best at his position. No matter where Carter lines up in the formation, he is a straight-up matchup nightmare, and Big Blue will surround him with superstar talent.
It’s clear Glenn’s praise carries weight. Before being hired as the Jets’ head coach, Glenn was the defensive coordinator in Detroit, where he was responsible for the development of Aidan Hutchinson, who eventually blossomed into one of the league's best young pass-rushers.
The 53-year-old coach also praised “how they utilize him”, crediting defensive coordinator Shane Bowen for taking advantage of the talent on the Giants’ defensive line in order to give Carter one-on-one matchups.
In his final season in Happy Valley, he recorded 12.0 sacks, 24 tackles for loss, and 68 tackles en route to being named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year. Now in the NFL, he is a clear Defensive Rookie of the Year frontrunner who should immediately surpass double-digit sacks as a rookie... and do it with ease.
For Giants fans, it’s validation of what they’ve seen all offseason: Carter’s physicality, football IQ, and relentless motor could make him a superstar in the making, poised to lead this defense for years to come. Simply put, there’s a reason he’s the most exciting defensive player the city has seen since Michael Strahan.