Abdul Carter is walking into a Giants defense that looks built to spread the sacks around, and that’s why one bold 2026 projection feels a little too rich.
SB Nation’s Jarrett Bailey pegged Carter for 14.5 sacks next season, a number that would put a huge spotlight on the second-year pass rusher. But while Carter should absolutely be a force, that kind of total looks like a tough ask with so much talent lined up around him.
The Giants are heading toward training camp with real intrigue on defense, and the front seven is loaded with players who can get after the quarterback. Brian Burns was a monster in 2025, piling up 16.5 sacks, and the expectation is that he’ll be back in double digits again in September. Kayvon Thibodeaux is also in the mix, and with his fifth-year option in play, he’s in a spot where he’s trying to help the team and make a case for his future beyond 2026.
There’s more pressure coming from the middle, too. Freshly drafted Arvell Reese and veteran Tremaine Edmunds give the Giants even more bodies to deploy, and while they won’t have a ton of chances to hunt the quarterback, the rookie could be used on inside blitzes to stir things up.
None of that changes the bigger point: Carter should be good. He should have a breakout season.
He should be one of the players who jumps off the screen. But with Burns, Thibodeaux and the rest of that front seven all in the picture, expecting Carter to pile up nearly 15 sacks feels like too much for a 22-year-old entering just his second NFL season.
In Other News...
Giants Camp Buzz Builds As John Mara Update Hits Home
The Giants offseason conversation keeps circling back to the same two young names, and for good reason. Abdul Carter flashed enough as a rookie to make improvement in 2026 feel like a real possibility, while Jaxson Dart enters his second NFL season with a new coaching staff and another offense to absorb, the kind of early-career test that can either slow a quarterback down or sharpen the runway ahead.
John Maras health update adds a more personal layer to the whole picture, because the co-owner and CEO remains involved with the team while going through cancer treatment. He has stayed connected enough to matter in the building, and his presence comes at a time when the Giants are trying to sort out projections, coaching changes and the next step for a roster that believes its young core can start to carry more of the load. [Read more 🡒]
Giants May Finally Have A Return Game Fans Can Believe In
For a team that has spent too much time searching for a spark in the return game, Deonte Banks gave the Giants a real one in 2025. He averaged 32.7 yards per kick return, finished second in the NFL, and punctuated the year with a 95-yard kickoff return touchdown in Week 17, the kind of play that can flip field position and change how opponents kick to you.
Calvin Austin III adds a different kind of value, giving New York a proven punt-return presence to pair with Banks and potentially reshape the bottom of the roster. Banks coverage work was shaky enough that the Giants declined his fifth-year option, so special teams may be his clearest path to sticking around, while Austins arrival gives the club a chance to keep two return threats in roles that actually fit them. [Read more 🡒]
Giants Finally Have Options And Deonte Banks Feels The Pressure
For a defense that has spent too much recent time patching together the cornerback spot, training camp suddenly looks a lot different. The Giants have brought in Paulson Adebo, Greg Newsome II and Colton Hood, giving the room real depth and turning what used to feel like an emergency project into a position group with actual choices.
Deonte Banks is right in the middle of that shift, and the pressure is obvious. The first-round pick has to show he can be dependable in coverage and finish plays on the ball, because the Giants now have multiple corners competing for the same snaps and a staff that can afford to keep rotating until somebody separates. [Read more 🡒]