Even before the recent Jaxson Dart saga, the pressure has long been on New York Giants edge rusher Abdul Carter entering his sophomore season.
Considering how many first-round defenders immediately burst onto the scene, it was easy to view Carter’s four sacks as a disappointment.
Granted, Carter went slightly undershadowed, as much of the defensive talk instead focused on Brian Burns’ All-Pro campaign and Dexter Lawrence’s feud with Giants legend Carl Banks.
However, as ESPN’s Seth Walder noted on Monday, the advanced numbers were significantly kinder to Carter. The No. 3 pick ranked fifth in pass rush win rate among edge rushers, finishing between Will Anderson Jr. and Myles Garrett.
Garrett earned NFL Defensive Player of the Year after recording an NFL-record 23 sacks. Anderson placed second after a 12-sack, 20-TFL season for the Texans.
“That suggests the Giants edge rusher was winning on a down-to-down basis,” Walder wrote of Carter. “Given that, I think the sacks will come.”
Walder went so far as to predict Carter will record at least 12 sacks.
The Giants desperately need Carter to break out in 2026
Analytics and sabermetrics remain divisive, and plenty might argue that Carter only recording four sacks with such a high win rate speaks volumes on its own.
Anderson terrorized opposing offensive linemen and didn't even lead the Texans in sacks, finishing behind Danielle Hunter.
Carter's four sacks ranked second among Giants players, which itself is extremely troubling given Lawrence and Kayvon Thibodeaux's presence.
Lawrence is gone, and Thibodeaux remains the subject of trade rumors. The Giants have not indicated that they intend to deal Thibodeaux, who is playing on the fifth-year option, ahead of Week 1.
Thibodeaux is playing with the second-string defense during organized team workouts. Carter and Burns are starting outside, with rookie linebacker Arvell Reese moving inside.
New Giants coach John Harbaugh is clearly committed to Carter, and rightfully so given his draft status.
For Big Blue to win, they cannot solely rely on Burns taking down the quarterback. Carter must follow through and turn his success against opposing offensive linemen into sacks.
Only 10 players, including Garrett and Anderson, had 12 sacks last year. Carter is certainly talented enough to join the club, especially with Harbaugh and defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson’s arrival.
The first step, though, is avoiding the injury bug that is already plaguing the Giants. Defensive lineman Roy Robertson-Harris, receiver Gunner Olszewski, and undrafted cornerback Thaddeus Dixon all tore their Achilles tendons within the past month.
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