What does a much-needed second-year leap for Abdul Carter look like? Well, it turns out Carter’s breakout will be defined by how much “more reliable” he is than an All-Pro for the New York Giants in 2026.
In this context, “more reliable” means Carter logging more sacks than fellow edge-rusher Brian Burns. That’s a tall order since Burns recorded a career-high 16.5 sacks last season, while Carter mustered only a mere four quarterback takedowns after being the third player selected in the 2025 NFL draft.
Despite the disparity in their numbers, there’s a growing consensus Carter will outproduce Burns this season. It’s a view shared by Giants.com Managing Editor Matt Citak and team writer John Schmeelk.
They both cite one key metric as proof Carter is on the rise enough to surpass Burns.
1 Trait Supports Abdul Carter Breakout Case
Schmeelk focused on pressure stats as the best indicator for Carter overtaking Burns. Those numbers include Carter finishing last season ranked “44th in pressure rate (14.4%) and 37th in win rate (15.2%), while Brian Burns finished 183rd in win rate (7.9%) and 87th in pressure rate (12.1%), according to Pro Football Focus. Carter finished 16th in the league in total pressures (73), while Burns finished 36th with 57.”
An innate ability for generating pressure because, as Schmeelk put it, “Sacks fluctuate year to year, while pressures are a more reliable and consistent metric to predict pass rush ability.”
Carter has the ability to get to quarterbacks, just like he did when he stripped the ball from Marcus Mariota against the Washington Commanders in Week 15.
📺: FOX
The challenge for Carter is putting plays like this together in bunches. Fortunately, Citak detailed Carter’s prolific pressure streak was tied to a strong finish to the player’s debut campaign.
Citak pointed out how Carter logged “at least a half-sack in four consecutive games, along with no fewer than four pressures in each of the final five games. Over that final five-game span, Carter accumulated 28 of his pressures on the season.”
Turning momentum into sustained production will require a mature approach to preparation from Carter. Something he didn’t always demonstrate as a rookie, when lateness became a persistent problem.
Carter showed improvement late in the season, so his trajectory is trending upwards. That’s good news for a new-look Giants defense needing another bluechip game-wrecker to emerge in support of Burns.
Giants Must Bridge Playmaker Gap
The Giants should be one of the tougher defenses in the NFL, but they won’t reach that status unless the big names up front deliver. Burns did his part last season, but there’s a playmaker gap after the 28-year-old, a gap only widened after the team traded three-time Pro Bowl nose tackle Dexter Lawrence II to the Cincinnati Bengals.
Lawrence was somebody who demanded special attention from offenses, like Burns. Now opposing teams can dedicate extra bodies to keeping Burns in check.
GettyBurns needs another dominant supporting act after Lawrence left town.
It means new defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson is counting on players like Carter and this year’s top rookie Arvell Reese to be problems opposing teams can’t ignore. Both fit the bill as roving disruptors who can be lined up in multiple spots and turned loose.
Reese has room to grow, but Carter currently has greater upside as the consistent pocket-collapsing force able to make the Giants’ defense feared.
Abdul Carter Predicted to Be ‘More Reliable’ Than Giants All-Pro