He “ruled the day” during the second practice of the New York Giants’ 2026 training camp, but Abdul Carter was still sent a message by head coach John Harbaugh, who told the “amped up” edge-rusher exactly what he needs to do to improve once the games matter.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, July 30, Harbaugh made it clear Carter must get better on “a consistency level. Down after down after down. All downs, all situations, being a complete player on the edge, and we’ll move him around, too,” per SNY Giants.
This is the right blueprint for Carter, who struggled finishing pass-rush reps with sacks on the field and staying professional off it, as a rookie. Fortunately, consistency wasn’t an issue for the third-overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft on Day 2 of camp.
Instead, the 22-year-old delivered the kind of performance that justifies predictions he’ll outplay an All-Pro for the Giants this season.
Abdul Carter Continuing Offseason Resurgence With Camp Dominance
Carter has been trending upward this offseason, catching the eye during OTAs and continuing to dominate at camp. The New York Post’s Paul Schwartz noted how “Carter ruled the day for the Giants in practice No. 2. Was in the backfield repeatedly. Was all amped up. This is the player the Giants need to see this season.”
Schwartz’s reference to what the Giants need from Carter in his second season is telling. They drafted him to be an overwhelming game-wrecker on a weekly basis, the kind of turnover-binging disruptor offenses have to make special plans to contain.
That will only happen if Carter gets to quarterbacks more often, after he logged a mere four sacks during his debut campaign. Fortunately, the underlying metrics indicate Carter is already a preternatural pressure specialist.
Matching end product with those numbers is how Carter answers Harbaugh’s call to be a winner on “all downs” and in “all situations.” It’s also how the Giants field a defense strong enough to accelerate Harbaugh’s rebuilding program.
The unit won’t just rely on Carter upping his game, according to Harbaugh.
Giants’ Edge-Rushers Making Everybody Better
How Carter plays will have a big impact on a new-look defense, but the Giants are more than well-stocked at edge-rusher to compensate for any further struggles. Thanks to Pro Bowler Brian Burns, who is coming off a 16.5-sack season, while former top-five pick Kayvon Thibodeaux remains enough of a part of the Giants’ plans to earn a niche role occupied by a franchise great.
The Burns, Carter and Thibodeaux trio gives the Giants a rotation that’s likely the envy of the rest of the league. Harbaugh confirmed as much when he declared the Giants have “three starters at OLB. They’re all going to play,” per Giants.com Managing Editor Dan Salomone.
Getting to move all three around will be the cornerstone of new defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson’s pressure schemes. It’s also a way for the Giants to use camp practices to boost their own offensive line.
The process of everybody involved making each other better is already underway, according to Harbaugh, who pointed out how “Carter benefits from going up against an ‘elite’ tackle in Andrew Thomas, and they talk a lot.”
This is the level of competition Harbaugh wants during camp to build the intensity of a tougher team. It’s a smart approach to rebuilding, but the Giants will still need big plays defensively once the season begins, and Carter is beginning to look like the most prolific source.
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