Oct 19, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; New York Giants linebacker Abdul Carter (51) reacts after a play during the second half against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
New York Giants second-year edge rusher Abdul Carter returned to practice on Tuesday after dealing with a minor hand injury.
The issue held him out of practice on Monday — Big Blue’s first go-around in East Rutherford after spending a week in West Virginia — but head coach John Harbaugh made it clear that it was a minor issue.
The 22-year-old has placed high expectations upon his shoulders, saying at the start of camp that he wants to be in the conversation for the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year award. He has a clean slate to work with after a trying rookie season, which saw him benched twice for disciplinary reasons.
The production was not necessarily there either, especially for a talent who was taken No. 3 overall in the 2025 draft. Carter recorded four sacks, and 3.5 of them came across the final five games of the season.
Now, with an entirely different coaching staff headed by John Harbaugh, there appear to be more opportunities to develop into the game-breaking talent that many forecasted him to be, including his head coach.
“I didn’t know him as well because, honestly, in the draft, he wasn’t a guy we were really looking at because we weren’t going to have a chance to draft him,” Harbaugh said. “And so, I didn’t know him at all. Then, I started talking to him and liked him right away, and the things he said that he wanted to do, I would say this: I’d say everything he’s spoken of in terms of what he wants to accomplish and his plans to do so, he’s following through on.”
Any notion that there would be a repeat of disciplinary issues also seems to be going out the window during training camp, as Harbaugh lauded the Penn State product’s attitude and work ethic.
“I think he’s been a real leader and mostly by example, by the way he’s playing and the energy he’s giving,” Harbaugh said. “So, it looks good. I mean, he’s had a really, really great camp so far.”
For more on Abdul Carter and the Giants, visit AMNY.com
