DeWayne Carter is making the kind of early-season impact that turns a comeback story into something much bigger.
Just months after working his way back from a torn Achilles and a long layoff, the Buffalo Bills defensive tackle has emerged as one of the league’s most effective run defenders. Through three games, Carter leads the NFL in ESPN’s run-stop win rate at 56%, and his 22 run stops are the most among all defensive tackles.
That’s a sharp turn from where his year began. Carter spent the offseason and training camp rehabbing the injury that wiped out his entire 2025 season, and by the time he got back into a regular-season game in Week 1 against the Houston Texans, 616 days had passed since his last NFL action. He also entered the conversation as a roster-bubble candidate after a rough preseason debut against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Carter heard all of it.
“I don’t care about (people saying) I could be a bubble guy,” Carter said. “I’m playing football again and I know who I am.
I know the work I put in. I know what my process is, and I know that I’m one of the best players in the league.”
The production backs him up. Buffalo hasn’t given up a 100-yard rusher yet this season, and Carter has been a major part of that turnaround. Among defensive tackles with at least 40 run snaps, he ranks 11th in the NFL with a 69.1 run defense grade from Pro Football Focus.
His value isn’t limited to stuffing the run, either. One of Carter’s biggest plays this season came against the Los Angeles Chargers last Sunday, when he beat his man one-on-one, forced Justin Herbert to step up, and helped create a Greg Rousseau sack.
Carter says that kind of all-around impact is exactly what he brings.
“Pride myself on being that,” Carter said. “I have been since, shoot, that was like one of my draft (calling) cards, too.
Coming out, I was like an every-down player who can play every down, any position up and down the line, doesn’t matter. Go out there and ball.”
The Bills’ defensive front has taken a clear step forward overall. They rank fourth in the NFL with 10 sacks, and Rousseau leads the league with six. Rousseau was also named the NFL Defensive Player of the Month for September.
Bills coach Joe Brady said Carter’s rise hasn’t caught the team off guard.
“A lot is just the confidence in being able to put together plays and then put together some more plays,” Brady said. “When Ed (Oliver) went down (before Lions game) and him having to take on such a huge role, and embracing and rolling with it.
It’s a lot of dirty work in the d-line room. And DC embraces that.
And I think he’s just enjoying playing football again.”
Carter, for his part, is enjoying the start but not getting too far ahead of himself.
“It’s only week four, right?,” Carter said. “So hopefully whatever week the Super Bowl is, we’ll talk about it then.
And hopefully I’m in the same spot. ... But it’s not about the accolades.
It’s not about a couple mentions on Twitter. It’s not about people tagging me, talking about apologize this, apologize that, all this mess.
“We have such a strong team here. ... I’m just going out there-not to prove anybody else anything, but to prove myself right, and playing the game I love.”
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