The Giants may need an answer to get Abdul Carter on the sphere extra typically whereas filling a brand new gap on their protection:
Play him extra typically at off-ball linebacker, behind the road of scrimmage as an alternative of on it.
“However my coaches need me, I’ll line up wherever they need me at,” the rookie cross rusher stated at his locker. “I’ve played off ball linebacker before, so it wouldn’t be something that was out of the question or something I haven’t done before. I have experience doing it.”
Requested concerning the professionals and cons of placing Carter on the road versus off the ball, the No. 3 total decide stated: “I don’t think there’s any cons to it. It’s being versatile, move around, be wherever my coaches need me to line up.”
Carter performed 5 of his 38 defensive snaps at off-ball linebacker within the Giants’ Week 1 loss to Washington and 33 snaps on the defensive position, per Professional Soccer Focus. He stated it takes “having confidence in being able to play different positions” to take that versatility into video games.
That was his place early on at Penn State earlier than he switched to edge rusher in his remaining school season of 2024. Now that may be Brian Daboll’s and Shane Bowen’s finest approach to get their prime 11 gamers on the sphere on protection.
Two Giants inside linebackers have gone down with accidents this week. Starter Micah McFadden (proper foot surgical procedure) is out long-term on injured reserve, and backup Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles (calf) aggravated an harm in Wednesday’s follow.
Whereas second-year linebacker Darius Muasau continues to be anticipated to log some early down run snaps subsequent to veteran Bobby Okereke towards Dallas, Carter’s versatility ought to result in extra frequent utilization.
It might additionally put Carter, Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux on the sphere collectively greater than the 9 snaps they shared in Week 1.
Carter led the Giants with three quarterback pressures of their Week 1 loss to Washington regardless of solely taking part in 54% of the defensive snaps. However he stated there have been each optimistic performs and studying experiences from his NFL debut after watching the movie.
“There’s a lot,” he stated of his takeaways from the sport. “I would just say that being my first game, I felt like it wasn’t too bad. Obviously there’s all the things you did good, but you gotta focus on the plays you did bad on so next time you can go out there and correct the things you didn’t do as well the week before.”
One of many issues Carter can do higher is ensure he finishes each single play.
Carter, Dexter Lawrence and Roy Robertson-Harris didn’t chase Deebo Samuel on Washington’s final landing as soon as the ball service crossed their faces across the left edge with 7:09 to play in Sunday’s fourth quarter.
Solely Thibodeaux pursued the play the entire means on the Giants’ entrance.
That was additionally Carter’s remaining play of the sport, with the Giants utilizing heavier personnel to attempt to cease the Washington working recreation on the Commanders’ final drive.
Carter was requested if wants to complete a play like that higher and chase the ball down.
“Yeah, for sure,” Carter stated. “Yeah.”
Was {that a} instructing level the Giants touched on this week whereas reviewing the tape?
“That’s really a standard, so that really should be something that we don’t even got to say,” Carter stated. “We gonna hold ourselves accountable for that. because in practice we try to practice all the good habits, running to the ball, finishing plays, things like that.”
On the optimistic aspect, Carter tackled Jayden Daniels late within the second quarter and pressured him right into a throwaway intentional grounding that ran the clock out with out the Commanders placing any further factors on the board.
Carter didn’t lunge at Daniels on the play, although. He guarded him virtually upright like a basketball participant.
Why? To keep away from the worst case.
“It’s like the last play, you really don’t want nothing bad to happen on the last play,” Carter stated. “So I want to make sure I don’t want to leave my feet diving at people, you know. We got off the field… We got our job done.”
Micah Parsons as soon as roamed the Cowboys’ discipline at AT&T Stadium as the subsequent nice Penn State cross rusher. Parsons admitted he’s trying ahead to taking part in on the identical stage — and maybe he’ll be used with Parsons-like versatility.
“Yeah,” he stated. “I think Penn State is really Edge Rush U. That’s thanks to our D-line coach Deion Barnes. It’s not just me and Micah. We got a bunch of guys in the league that came out of Penn State: [the Dolphins’] Chop [Robinson], [the Ravens’] Odafe [Oweh]. We got guys coming up in college right now in [Dani Dennis-Sutton] and [Zane] Durant at Penn State. So Penn State’s pretty much a factory for all the D linemen.”
BLAND OUT FOR ‘BOYS
The Dallas Cowboys might be with out cornerback DaRon Bland on Sunday as a consequence of a proper foot harm he sustained in Monday’s follow. So the Giants might be able to take benefit down the sphere greater than they did towards the Commanders.
Dallas nook Trevon Diggs is predicted to play greater than the 27 snaps he logged within the Cowboys’ Week 1 loss to the Eagles as he eases again in from knee surgical procedure. And former Invoice Kaiir Elam is a stable acquisition on the Cowboys’ again finish. However there isn’t a skilled depth behind them on coordinator Matt Eberflus’ protection.
Reddy Steward is a second-year professional claimed off waivers in late August after he was reduce by the Minnesota Vikings. He performed 18 defensive snaps for the Chicago Bears final season. Rookie Trikweze Bridges is a seventh-round 2025 Chargers draft decide who was additionally claimed off waivers after roster cuts.
And veteran nook C.J. Goodwin is a particular teamer.
Dallas security Malik Hooker (foot) was restricted for a second straight day. Backup security Juanyeh Thomas didn’t take part for private causes.
THOMAS NOT LOOKING GOOD FOR WEEK 2
Giants left sort out Andrew Thomas (foot) participated in follow after skipping Wednesday’s padded follow however was nonetheless restricted. So he’s prone to lacking a second straight recreation to start out the 12 months.
Extensive receiver Darius Slayton (groin) and defensive lineman Rakeem Nuñez-Roches Sr. (foot) have been added to Thursday’s harm report as restricted for the primary time this common season.
Extensive receiver Wan’Dale Robinson (ankle) was restricted after lacking Wednesday. Flannigan-Fowles (calf) and McFadden (foot) didn’t take part.
Initially Printed: September 11, 2025 at 6:24 PM EDT
