What we're watching at Giants OTAs: How will Abdul Carter fit into OLB rotation?

New York Times

27-05-2025

All eyes will be on the New York Giants' pair of first-round picks when OTAs kick off Wednesday.
Quarterback Jaxson Dart, the No. 25 selection in the 2025 NFL Draft, has already generated early optimism about his potential to develop into the face of the franchise. Fellow first-rounder Abdul Carter has also generated some early buzz since being selected with the No. 3 pick. Aside from the jersey number 'controversy,' Carter flashed during rookie minicamp, looking every bit the part of a potential difference-maker.
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Given the Giants' plan to slow-play Dart's development, Carter is the rookie with the best chance at making an immediate impact this season. But how will he fit into the Giants' outside linebacker rotation alongside Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux?
After covering the offensive position battles to watch last week, it's time to take a closer look at the situation Carter is walking into, along with a couple of other intriguing spots on the defensive depth chart.
Let's get to it:
The Giants have invested quite a bit of money and draft capital into their outside linebackers room over the past three years. They selected Thibodeaux in the first round at No. 5 in 2022 before trading for Burns last offseason. This year, of course, they took Carter, creating a formidable trio. But how will the playing time be divided, and will someone eventually be asked to leave?
The Giants don't seem to be worried about the snap count crunch, as they recently picked up Thibodeaux's fifth-year option, meaning he's locked in with the team through 2026. Whether they decide to pay him long term, however, is another question. After giving Burns a five-year, $141 million deal last offseason, can they afford to sign Thibodeaux to the lucrative contract he'll likely command? That's likely a discussion for another day.
For now, it's safe to assume Carter's arrival means Burns and Thibodeaux will be on the field less. That's not a bad thing, as both players should be able to stay fresher throughout games. Burns played nearly 80 percent of the defensive snaps last season in 17 games, while Thibodeaux played 74 percent or more in nine of his 12 games. In terms of all three getting on the field together, Carter can play off the ball, so the Giants could deploy the Penn State product that way, as well as off the edge.
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Earlier this month, Thibodeaux said he was 'super excited' that the Giants drafted Carter.
'That's the outside linebacker position, we're those tweeners,' Thibodeaux said. 'When you look at my skill set, Brian's skill set, Brian is probably better at rushing inside than I am, but I can rush inside. Brian can rush inside. He can rush from depth. I can rush from depth being that linebacker position. So can Abdul. So we'll see how they mix it up, but we'll definitely all be on the field at some point.'
Two-time All-Pro Dexter Lawrence is the anchor of the defensive line, but this position room struggled to produce quality play alongside him last season. The Giants' lack of depth became apparent when Lawrence dislocated his elbow in the Thanksgiving loss to the Dallas Cowboys and missed the rest of the season. But even before that, Lawrence could've used some help, given the consistent double teams he faced throughout the first half of the season. A solid running mate also helps get the best out of Lawrence, whose pressure rate has dipped since Leonard Williams was traded midway through the 2023 season.
The Giants made finding a higher-quality running mate for Lawrence a priority this offseason, as they first added veterans Roy Robertson-Harris and Jeremiah Ledbetter to the room. They then went one step further, adding Darius Alexander with their third-round pick. The Giants will likely want Alexander to grow into the role of playing alongside Lawrence, but the sooner he's ready to claim the job, the better.
'We always talk about four hands,' GM Joe Schoen said after Alexander was drafted. 'Oftentimes, there are four hands on Dexter Lawrence, so if you can get somebody on the opposite side of Dexter who can win one-on-ones, that's going to see a lot of one-on-ones, and can win those matchups consistently, that makes it difficult, as well.'
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In theory, this position is set after the Giants spent big in free agency. They signed Paulson Adebo to a three-year, $54 million ($38.5 million guaranteed) deal that was the largest of the contracts that the Giants doled out this offseason. The plan will be for Adebo to join Deonte Banks to create a more stable corner room.
But that's if things go to plan. Adebo is coming off a season-ending broken femur. While Adebo has been positive about his recovery, that's still something to monitor. Of course, Banks is coming off a tumultuous season. After being thrust into the CB1 job, he struggled mightily last season — not only with making plays, but his effort was called into question multiple times.
Those two will be joined in the secondary by Andru Phillips, who produced an impressive rookie season in the slot. Behind those three are: Cor'Dale Flott, Tre Hawkins and this year's seventh-round selection Korie Black. Flott should be the go-to backup both outside and in the slot, but there's time for Hawkins and even Black to make their mark. Right now, Giants fans should expect to see Adebo and Banks on the outside come Week 1, but this depth chart will be something to monitor through the offseason.