Carter Reacts to Joining Giants' Loaded Line

In picking Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter, the New York Giants doubled down on general manager Joe Schoen’s identity.

Schoen’s first draft pick was edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux. He extended defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence to a $90 million deal. He traded and extended star edge rusher Brian Burns to create one of the league’s most formidable defensive lines.

On Thursday, he added to it.

Carter was the draft’s best pass rusher, and perhaps its best player. Now in New York, he won’t be burdened by carrying a pass rush.

Carter reacted to joining an elite Giants defensive line after his selection.

“Yeah, we're going to be dominant,” Carter said. “It's going to be dope just getting to know those guys as a person, getting to know them as men, and then getting closer as teammates, and then once we get on the field together, just wreak havoc.”

A big part of those defensive line plans is Thibodeaux, although his role seemed to be in flux as the Carter hype ramped up. Upon drafting Carter, Schoen put those rumors to rest. He accepted Thibodeaux’s fifth-year option, presumably keeping him in New York through the 2026 season.

Thibodeaux didn’t find the same sack totals in 2024 as he did in his “breakout” 2023 campaign, logging just 5.5 sacks after an 11.5-sack season. However, with Burns in the building, Thibodeaux saw his win rates jump significantly. It is more accurate to say he took a leap in Year 3 than Year 2; Burns’ presence in that isn’t a coincidence.

“I'm pretty familiar,” he said. “They're both great players, dominant players. Can't wait to get in there and work with those guys, compete with those guys. It's going to be fun.”

The Giants’ identity of a dominant pass rush helps create synergy. There are only so many blockers a team can allocate at one time, and even fewer double teams. With three of those four on the field at the same time (and potentially all four on certain passing downs), each talented lineman will either take attention away from their teammates or benefit from extra attention elsewhere.

Just seven teams had more sacks than New York last year. The bar, undoubtedly, has been raised.

“It's just them, Dexter in the middle, them all working together, and just adding me to that group, it's going to be dope,” Carter said. “It's going to be the most dominant group.”