If you’re a New York Giants fan and feeling optimistic about the 2025 season, don’t feel guilty. It’s okay to be excited. After all, nothing is guaranteed in the National Football League, and where would we be without a little hope and anticipation?
It’s especially tough to temper that excitement after the Giants used the third overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft on Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter. Carter arrives with serious pedigree and sky-high potential. His junior season ended with All-American honors and Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year after racking up 24 tackles for loss and 12 sacks. His presence alongside the rest of New York’s defensive front could conjure memories of Michael Strahan, Justin Tuck, and Osi Umenyiora.
Essentially, you’re allowed to believe again. Don’t let a daunting schedule yuck your yum. Carter has the skillset to turn this defense around fast, and after last year’s 3-14 disaster, that’s exactly what this team needs.
Carter’s arrival follows a massive swing Joe Schoen took the year prior, trading for Carolina Panthers pass rusher Brian Burns. The idea of those two sharing the field has caught everyone’s attention, including one former NFL linebacker.
Manti Te’o sees echoes of greatness in Giants’ new pass-rushing duo
During a segment on NFL Network's Good Morning Football, host Jamie Erdahl asked Manti Te’o to name the best defensive duo in the NFC East, and the former Chargers linebacker didn’t hesitate—and Giants fans will love his answer:
"The Giants got a really good rookie out of Penn State, named Abdul Carter, but you pair him with Brian Burns, Jamie—there's something about when you have two dynamic defensive ends and how they complement each other," Te'o responded.
"I remember we had Melvin Ingram with the Chargers, and Melvin was a really dominant, physical player—Melvin didn't get his first Pro Bowl until Joey Bosa came into the picture. We can go back to DeMarcus Ware-Von Miller, Dwight Freeney-Robert Mathis, Justin Houston-Tamba Hali—When you have two guys on the edge—the Pittsburgh Steelers have it right now, where they complement each other—it's a nightmare for offenses."
When a team's pass-rushing duo gets compared to the electric company of Ware and Miller, Ingram and Bosa, and Freeney and Mathis, something special is brewing. Te'o could have gone with several other duos—the NFC East is filled with talent. So it speaks volumes he went with this potential nightmare pair.
The pairing of Carter and Burns gives the G-Men a rare kind of edge presence—one that can actually tilt a game. Burns is a seasoned veteran who’s been beating offensive tackles with speed and finesse for years, and now he finally has a true complement in Carter. The rookie’s burst, bend, and raw explosion off the edge are already nightmare fuel for opposing coordinators, and it’s that contrast in styles that makes the pairing so dangerous. Offenses can plan around one elite rusher. Two that win in multiple different ways? That’s where it gets messy.
Throw in Dexter Lawrence blowing things up on the inside, and Big Blue suddenly has a front that can create real chaos. The pass rush doesn’t have to live and die with one guy getting home. Carter can loop or blitz from multiple alignments, Burns can stunt inside, and both have the twitch to close when plays break down. OTAs gave us a taste of what's to come, and let's just say we're starving for more.
It’s not just about sacks. The two can speed up throws, create chaos, and give the revamped secondary a fighting chance. If Carter hits his stride and Burns holds up, the Giants could finally have a duo that changes games up front.