Giants 2022 UFA Primer: OLB Lorenzo Carter
Lorenzo Carter, OLB
Height: 6’5”
Weight: 255 lbs.
NFL Exp.: 4 years
College: Georgia
Lorenzo Carter was drafted by the New York Giants in the third round (66th overall pick) of the 2018 draft and is one of three players from that cycle still on the Giants roster (Saquon Barkley and Will Hernandez being the others).
Ranked as the second-best outside linebacker in the pool heading into the draft, Carter signed a four-year, $4.08 million rookie contract in May 2018 and is expected to hit the free-agent market this offseason if the Giants don’t re-sign him.
Since being selected by the Giants, Carter has risen through the ranks to become one of the team’s most productive pass rushers. Carter totaled 153 tackles (94 solos), 14.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, and one interception in his first four seasons. Three of his four years in the league saw him surpass 40 tackles and 4.0 sacks, including his career-leading five-sack campaign this season.
Carter’s NFL career hasn’t been entirely smooth sailing, though. After finishing second on the team in sacks in the 2019 season, the former Bulldog ruptured his Achilles’ five games into 2020, resulting in his watching the remainder from the sidelines. Outside of that long rehab, Carter has also missed five games throughout his other years in New York.
2021 Recap
After a dismal 2020 campaign marred by the Achilles’ injury, Carter returned to the active roster and had his best season in a Giants uniform.
Through 14 games played as a starter, Carter tallied 50 total tackles (28 solos) and added five sacks, two forced fumbles (one recovered), and one interception.
The first half of the season saw less impressive numbers for Carter, who was part of a Giants defense whose lack of discipline cost them in big moments and played a role in the Giants’ 0-3 start.
However, the linebacker had two games with four tackles and a half-sack in Weeks 4 and 7, both resounding Giants victories over the Saints and Panthers. He also got his first career interception in a Week 5 loss to the Dallas Cowboys when he intercepted Dak Prescott on the same turf he tore his Achilles’ the year prior.
Carter missed the games against the Chiefs, Raiders, and Buccaneers with an ankle injury before returning in Week 12. From there, his performances improved a bit as the Giants finished their 2021 season.
In Weeks 14 and 15, Carter accumulated four tackles apiece against the Chargers and Cowboys while adding two sacks and a forced fumble in the latter game. At Soldier Field in Week 17, Carter jumped his tackles total to six and added another sack to his resume.
To cap off the disappointing season for the Giants, Carter gave his best performance against Washington in the finale by finishing with nine tackles and another sack.
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Why the Giants Should Keep Him
If anything, the Giants should hold onto Carter for his proven ability to impact their defensive pass rush.
Alongside players like Leonard Williams and Azeez Ojulari, Carter was one of the best at getting into the backfield and putting pressure on opposing quarterbacks. They were the only two players to beat Carter in the major defensive pass rush categories this season.
In the 14 games he played, Carter collected five sacks for 16 yards, six tackles for loss, eight quarterback hits, and five deflected passes. He found his groove towards the final stretch of the season, recording four straight games with at least one sack and five straight with at least one quarterback hit.
Overall, the Giants' defense wasn’t anything spectacular when it came to defending against the passing attack of their opponents. They finished 2021 ranked in the middle of the NFL pack or worse in numerous opposition passing categories, a reality that resulted in them allowing an average of 355 yards of total offense per game and 6.0 yards per pass play.
There is a pass rush present in the assets they have along the front line, but having a healthy Carter can juice the effectiveness of pressuring opposing offenses next season.
Why the Giants Shouldn’t Keep Him
Based on the prior section, it’s difficult to find reasoning to justify the Giants parting ways with Carter after four years based on performance, unless one is skeptical about the lack of consistency in production from week to week.
There is also a matter of money. Carter is not a top-level edge rusher, and after four years, it's hard to determine if he might ever become that guy. But edge rushers, in general, don't grow on trees, and with the Giants cap-strapped, they're likely not going to be able to offer Carter a multi-year, big-money deal to retain him, whereas some other team with cap pace might be able to do just that.
The Giants also will have options. Azeez Ojulari and Quincy Roche had very promising rookie seasons. And if the team can figure out what they have in Elerson Smith--is he a defensive end or an outside linebacker--they may have something there as well. Plus, they should be able to add via the draft to where if Carter should walk, it won't sting nearly as much.
Keep or Dump?
Carter seems like a player the Giants should re-sign for the 2022 season. He’s been very healthy minus the absence in 2020, and his ability to put pressure on opposing quarterbacks is a skill the Giants need to strengthen in their defense if they want to contend against some of the most prolific passers taking over the league these days.
There will certainly be competition within the linebacker core, but Carter has proven he can give the Giants a fair enough return on their investment if they make such an investment.
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