Giants 2025 Position Breakdown: What kind of impact can Abdul Carter have as a rookie?

Heading into the 2025 season, the Giants are coming off another incredibly disappointing campaign, which saw them go 3-14 and take another step in the wrong direction, putting GM Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll firmly on the hot seat.

But as the team heads into 2025, there's optimism that they will be an improved squad.

In this series, we'll break down the depth chart for every position group. This time, we'll go in-depth at the edge rusher spot...

Projected depth chart

Starters: Brian Burns, Kayvon Thibodeaux
Backups: Abdul Carter, Chauncey Golston, Victor Dimukeje, Tomon Fox
Key additions/losses: Drafted Carter in the first round, Azeez Ojulari signed with Eagles in free agency
Top Performer in 2024: Burns, who had 8.5 sacks and 17 tackles for loss

What Giants edge rushers have going for them

Sometimes, the difference between a good defense and a great defense is the ability to generate pressure with the front four. If you don't have to rely on blitzing to get to the quarterback, that opens up a ton of different coverage options for the linebackers and secondary.

With Dexter Lawrence constantly pushing the pocket as one of the best defensive tackles in the NFL and with how the edge rushers group looks on paper, Shane Bowen's defense very well may be able to do just that.

It starts with Burns, who was good, but not quite spectacular, during his first season with the Giants following a trade from Carolina. One thing about Burns is that he's been a consistent pass-rushing presence throughout his entire career, as he's never had fewer than 7.5 sacks in a season, which was his total as a rookie. A two-time Pro Bowler, Burns has also been incredibly durable during his career, and he'll lead the way for a talented group of edge defenders.

Then there's the enigmatic Thibodeaux. The former first-round pick has all of the tools to be an elite edge rusher, as evidenced by his 11.5 sacks in 2023. His biggest issue, though, has been consistency, as he had just 1.0 sack over the final six games of that season, and then followed that up with 5.5 sacks in 12 games last season.

And even with those two proven players at the top of the depth chart, it's the rookie Carter who can be a true game-changer for the Giants. After spending his first two seasons at Penn State as an off-the-ball linebacker, Carter made the switch to edge rusher as a junior, and the results were immediate. Carter was the best edge rusher in the country, racking up 12.0 sacks and 24 tackles for loss in 16 games.

At 6-foot-3 and 252 pounds, Carter fits the prototype for the new, dynamic NFL edge rushers. He can bend and beat you around the edge with speed, but can also use his power and quick hands to get through would-be blockers, too. Simply put, the No. 3 overall pick could bring an element of electricity to a Giants defense in need of a jolt.

The real question -- and it's a good question to have to answer -- is how the Giants can maximize all three players in terms of playing time. While there's sure to be a rotation, it also wouldn't be shocking to see all three of Burns, Thibodeaux, and Carter on the field at the same time, with someone like Thibodeaux lining up as a defensive tackle, or maybe even having Carter play as a blitzing linebacker in the middle.

The possibilities are tantalizing, thanks to a three-headed monster that could give opposing quarterbacks nightmares on a weekly basis.

Key concern: Any impact beyond the Big Three?

Burns, Thibodeaux, and Carter give the Giants three legitimate game-wreckers, but what if one or more of those players misses significant time with an injury?

Golston is a former third-round pick of the Cowboys, and he's coming off a career best 5.5 sacks last season, but his previous season best is just 1.5 sacks -- so it's hard to say with confidence that he can be a difference-maker. Dimukeje had 4.0 sacks in 16 games in 2023, but does not have a single sack in his other 39 career games. Sacks aren't the only stat that matter for edge rushers, but it's a pretty good indicator of how well they're performing. And the Giants are going to need some of these players from lower on the depth chart to step up at one point or another.

Player who must step up: Thibodeaux

The Giants exercised Thibodeaux's fifth-year option, keeping him under contract through the 2026 season, but 2025 could be a make-or-break year for the Oregon product.

As mentioned above, Thibodeau has had stretches of dominance, but he's also had prolonged periods where he's not much of a factor.

If Thibodeaux has a big year, the Giants will likely look to lock him into a long-term extension well before he hits free agency. If he has a poor year, he'll either head into the final year of his contract with doubt about his future, or he could even be traded before the deadline or next offseason.

Biggest camp battle: Burns vs. Carter

It may not be a true battle for playing time, but it will be very fun to watch how Carter (the rookie with all of the potential in the world) stacks up against Burns (one of the most consistent edge rushers in the NFL) during training camp and the preseason.

Overall 2025 outlook

Getting after the quarterback is a huge part of why the Giants were able to win Super Bowls in 2007 and 2011, with players like Michael Strahan, Jason Pierre-Paul, Justin Tuck, and Osi Umenyiora being the engine that drove the Giants to their ultimate goal.

Nobody is calling the 2025 Giants a Super Bowl contender heading into the season, but perhaps they could still follow a similar path of riding their pass rush to success. A top three of Burns, Thibodeaux, and Carter should give opposing teams fits, especially if Bowen gets creative with how each player is deployed.

Since Leonard Williams had 11.5 sacks in 2020, Thibodeaux is the only other Giant to have a double-digit sack season, with 11.5 in 2023. If all goes to plan, Burns, Thibodeaux, and Carter could all threaten to hit double-digits in 2025.