The Buffalo Bills made a significant investment in their defensive line when they landed DeWayne Carter with a third-round pick in 2024, but the big interior lineman has failed to pan out as he dealt with a serious injury.
Now, Carter could be nearing the end of his time in Buffalo, one analyst suggested. Carter is expected to face a strong challenge for his spot on the roster this summer, and a veteran defensive tackle could leave Carter on the trade block.
DeWayne Carter Could Head to the Trade Block
Syracuse.com’s Ryan Talbot offered an early projection of the team’s 53-man roster, suggesting there is competition ahead for both offensive and defensive lines. Talbot suggested that Sedrick Van Pran-Granger and Lloyd Cushenberry are battling it out for a reserve spot, with the loser likely headed to the trade block.
Talbot suggested the same of Carter, who would need to fend off a challenge from veteran Phidarian Mathis to keep his spot on the roster. Talbot added that the Bills could get a modest return for Carter on the trade block rather than releasing him outright should he fall behind in the competition.
“The same can be said on the defensive line,” Talbot wrote. “If Phidarian Mathis were to beat out DeWayne Carter, there could be a few teams willing to part with a late three-day pick for the former day two pick.”
Carter appeared in 11 games in his rookie season in 2024 with three starts, making 14 total tackles with five tackles for a loss and three quarterback hits. He missed the 2025 season after suffering a torn Achilles in practice on August 31.
Bills general manager Brandon Beane has been known to favor late-summer trades for players on the fringes of the roster, often taking late third-day picks in return. The team faced a similar situation in 2023, when second-round defensive end Carlos “Boogie” Basham was expected to miss the final roster but the team instead traded him to the New York Giants for a late-round draft pick swap in the 2025 draft.
New Opportunity for DeWayne Carter
Reporter Sean Murphy of SB Nation’s Buffalo Rumblings suggested Carter could have a new opportunity with the Bills after the departure of head coach Sean McDermott. The team hired Jim Leonhard as the new defensive coordinator, ushering in a change to a 3-4 base defense and a need for a big body in the middle.
Carter could serve that role, Murphy suggested.
“How do you negate the potential loss in explosiveness from an Achilles injury? Well, one way, I suppose, is to add weight and change your play style entirely,” Murphy wrote. “Carter was more penetrator than he was anchor in former head coach Sean McDermottâs defense, but after the Achilles injury, new defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard seems poised to use Carter as a one-tech or a nose tackle. That means that his role will shift to that of space-occupier more so than play-disruptor, and it also means that it will require a little more nuance in evaluating his play this summer.”
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