Are the New York Giants already screwing up Abdul Carter? | Sporting News

The New York Giants have a recent history of screwing things up.

Saquon Barkley, Xavier McKinney, and Daniel Jones immediately come to mind.

Now it appears they may be making a big mistake with top rookie Abdul Carter, considered the best defensive player in the last NFL draft after a stellar career as an edge rusher at Penn State.

On the NFL Daily podcast with Greg Rosenthal and Patrick Claiborne, the two pundits noted that the Giants had Carter working at the off-ball linebacker spot in the recent OTAs.

The off-ball linebacker is usually focused on a mix of coverage and run-stopping.

They are expected to cover tight ends and running backs and drop into zone coverage responsibilities.

They also are charged with stopping the run by filling gaps.

Rushing the passer is last on the priority list.

Carter had 12 sacks in his final year at Penn State, playing a roving edge rusher and occasionally moving inside to bull his way to the quarterback.

The reason Carter is being tried in a different position? The Giants hope to get him and fellow linemen Kayvon Thibodeau and Brian Burns on the field at the same time.

They didn't draft Abdul Carter to be an off-ball linebacker, said Claiborne.

I understand you want to get your best players on the field.

Well, then just have them both down there.

I just think playing guys out of position...

Rosenthal said that the Giants had a duty to make things work with their surplus of pass rushers, but pointed to a recent example of a prized rookie whose development was held back by being forced into an off-ball slot.

The comp is there to (Dallas Cowboy) Micah Parsons, of course, Rosenthal said.

And I think that the Cowboys ultimately wasted their time with Parsons at off-ball linebacker as a rookie.

They've shown with how they've used him since that they didn't need to do that." Now, if it's off-ball linebacker (with Carter) in a Zach Brown type of role, where at least the way they use Carter, he's ultimately rushing the passer almost all the time and he's just like a third edge, that's cool..

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