New York Giants outside linebacker Abdul Carter faces a series of encouraging questions about how his second NFL season will unfold in 2026.
CBS Sports’ Jared Dubin feels the top question surrounding Carter’s performance next season is how effectively he will convert pressures into sacks.
Carter finished 12th in the NFL with 66 pressures, according to Tru Media. He also ranked 46th in pressure rate out of 271 players who rushed the passer 100 times or more. But because Carter converted just four of his pressures into sacks, he checked in 211th among that group in sack-to-pressure ratio.
That’s not something you’d expect to continue for someone who showed such a strong ability to get near the quarterback. Can he finish the job more often in Year 2?
Carter displayed a breathtaking ability to beat offensive linemen with his relentless pursuit of the quarterback throughout last season. That ability played a major role in the Penn State product finishing as a finalist for the AP Defensive Rookie of the Year award in 2025.
Notably, Carter often looked like a player capable of bringing the quarterback down far more frequently than he did. While his 4.0 sacks were still highly effective for the Giants, he will have the opportunity to significantly increase his sack total in 2026.
Natural progression in a player’s second year is expected, and it should lead to that higher level of production.
This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: New York Giants’ Abdul Carter must turn pressures into sacks in 2026
Reporting by Matt Legros, Giants Wire / Giants Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
