Getty Deebo Samuel gets chased by Lorenzo Carter on October 16, 2022 in Atlanta.
If there’s a scenario where unrestricted free agents Samson Ebukam and Charles Omenihu aren’t lured back to the San Francisco 49ers come March 15, then there’s a “hyper athletic” pass rusher who is suggested to be the fallback option.
Kyle Posey of SB Nation’s suggestion on Thursday, February 23? Make a run at Atlanta Falcons defensive end Lorenzo Carter, who’s at the end of his one-year, $3.5 million deal.
“Lorenzo Carter is a high-effort player who is hyper athletic,” Posey wrote. “He’s not the most polished pass-rusher, but he’d give the defensive line another cost-effective rotational player.”
Carter Called a Match for 49ers DL Coach Despite Linebacker Past
The 6-foot-5, 255-pounder has always been labeled an outside linebacker throughout his time in the NFL. He was a stand-up defender for both the right and left side of the LB unit for the New York Giants and even slid to the left inside linebacker spot in his final year with the franchise in 2021. While in Atlanta, he was listed as an outside ‘backer.
However, even as a situational player, Carter still showed a knack for getting into backfields — with four seasons of six tackles for a loss of higher and four seasons of getting four sacks or more per Pro Football Reference. Posey believes there’s one man on the 49ers coaching staff who can unlock Carter some more.
“We’ve seen Kris Kocurek turn water into wine, year after year, and Carter would be his latest reclamation project,” Posey said.
If Carter were to head west, the 27-year-old could be added to a list of relative unknown rushers who became household names among the 49ers Faithful — names that include Ebukam, Omenihu, Kerry Hyder, Arden Key and T.Y. McGill. All witnessed new career-highs and impacftul moments when called upon once they linked with Kocurek.
‘Fallback Option’
Carter may not be the biggest name in the pool of free agent edge rushers. However, he’s capable of delivering game altering plays like this one while with the Falcons:
FALCONS PICK-6! Lorenzo Carter snags it at the line of scrimmage
📺: #CARvsATL on FOX
📱: Stream on NFL+ t.co/fAXMgIqW9V
And he’s made some hustle plays like this one near the goal line against the Chargers from 2021 when he was still with the Giants:
check out the speed and effort (and sweet slide at the end) from #20 Julian Love.
manages to beat Herbert and the TE to the corner and makes Herbert turn back inside and into Lorenzo Carter
From a pass rush standpoint, Kocurek may love how Carter uses his arms then turns to leverage and speed to beat this one-on-one from his New York days:
Lorenzo Carter is an entirely different player in the 2nd half of the season 100% healed from the torn achilles.
Long-arm rush and picks up the sack — I’m open to bringing him back on a cost-efficient deal if possible #NYG
But again, Carter’s name is being mentioned in the event the 49ers end up not keeping two of their most valuable rotational defenders and past starters due to free agency.
“Carter would be a fallback option if the team couldn’t afford to bring back Samson Ebukam and Charles Omenihu. While he’s a class below Ebukam and Omenihu has a football player, these are the types of athletes you bet on along the defensive line.”
With his length and wicked snap explosion combination, Carter is being hailed as someone who would impact the 49ers while watching his numbers spike playing for Kocurek and playing alongside two more decorated 49er trench defenders.
“Carter had nine tackles for loss in 2022 with four sacks and 27 total pressures. That production is sure to increase, playing alongside Nick Bosa and Arik Armstead,” Posey predicts.