Abdul Carter’s rookie season could be described as mostly frustrating and disappointing for the former Penn State star, but a strong finish to the season has the highly talented linebacker entering Year 2 with breakout potential.
Selected with the 3rd overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Carter entered the league with the talent and explosiveness to be the next Micha Parsons. He can still become that type of player, but it will take patience on-the-field and discipline off-the-field to reach that level, especially if he hopes to make a major impact in his second NFL season. With the talent he has around him and how strong he finished his rookie season, the opportunity to excel is there.
With veterans like Brian Burns, Tremaine Edmunds and Kayvon Thibodeaux, along with 2026 NFL Draft first -round pick Arvell Reese on the same squad, Carter will not only be fueled with competition, but he will also have players who will hold him accountable. Furthermore, he must hold himself accountable.
Why Abdul Carter is positioned for a Year 2 breakout with the Giants
Following his second benching of his rookie campaign, Carter took the discipline as a learning tool towards his preparation as an NFL player and future star for the Giants organization and the league.
“I’m learning a lot in terms of just being a man, being in the NFL, just going through it,” Carter said during the Giants bye week in the 2025 NFL season, via NFL.com. “I’m learning a lot and I’m glad I’m going through it so I can be better prepared in the future.”
As disappointing as the season appeared for Carter, it wasn’t that bad for a rookie. After starting the season with just 0.5 sacks, the explosive defender ended the season with 4.0 sacks, 43 total tackles, 2 forced fumbles, 23 quarterback hits and 72 quarterback pressures, a feat that ranked him seventh in the entire NFL. In all, the production led him to a spot on the PFWA All-Rookie Team.
What must Carter do to maintain the momentum and further his path towards breaking out as one of the more elite pass rushers in the league?
Well, he said it above. He las to grow up, understand his potential and just do his talking with his performance on the field. With the talent he has, there will be frustrating stretches, but he will need to learn how to put the last game behind him and play the game with intention, find his niche of domination on the field and make offenses gameplan for him. With Reese on board, he will also need to learn how to share the wealth, work within the defensive scheme and help make the Giants front seven as fearsome on the field as they look on paper and on the practice field.
To sum it all up, the Year 2 version of Abdul Carter could make or break the 2026 NFL season for the Giants. They have talent offensively and they have elite talent defensively. If Reese makes his impact from the inside linebacker position and Carter fuels it up off the edge, watch out NFC East!
