Lorenzo Carter is entering his third season with the New York Giants. Across the 30 games he has appeared in, 14 of which he has started, the linebacker has totaled eight and a half sacks, 88 combined tackles and 23 quarterback hits.
Carter says he worked on improving his angles in the offseason after the coaching staff pointed it out to him (quotes courtesy of Giants.com).
“It was really just refining my game, like I said, working hands, working power, and working the angles really because a lot of times, it comes down to what types of angles you have. That’s one thing I saw a lot last year and then the coaches pointed it out to me when we got into the lab this year.”
The Giants edge rotation has some new faces this season. The team signed former Green Bay Packers pass rusher Kyler Fackrell to a one-year deal in free agency, selected linebackers Cam Brown and Carter Coughlin on day three of the 2020 NFL Draft and have Markus Golden back in the saddle after he signed his restricted free agent tender. They join Carter and second-year player Oshane Ximines.
Carter likes what he sees from this group.
“I think it’s great that we have a lot of talent and that we’re a little deeper in that room. Like you said, we have MG, we have X-Man, we have Fack, and even with Cam Brown, we have a lot of guys in the room that have a lot of different skill sets. It comes down to us making sure that we maximize our abilities and trusting the coaches in making sure they put us in the right positions.”
Carter thinks if they individually do their jobs, the Giants have a great chance at being a “successful” defense.
“It’s just doing our job. It’s a lot of do your job. Right now, the focus is on fundamentals and making sure that you do your job to the best of your ability. I think if we do that and I do my job setting edges, letting the linebackers do their job filling gaps, and just play together as a team, we’re going to have a great chance to be successful.”
Carter was teammates with the Giants’ 2020 first-round draft pick, tackle Andrew Thomas, at Georgia in 2017. The rookie will presumably start at one of the team’s two tackle positions this season.
The outside linebacker knew Thomas was going to be a “top first round pick” in college.
“I knew from day one when he stepped on campus at Athens that he was going to be a top first round pick. It’s nothing new. It’s the same thing he did as a freshman in college. He’s learned, grown and matured. As a rookie, he came in that far advanced too. I know I have to bring it to Andrew because like I said, he’s ready. I have to make sure he’s ready for game one.”