Not much has gone right for the New York Giants in 2025. The team is sitting at 2-11 as they finally enter their bye week in Week 14, having not won a game since early October. One of the players who should be a bright spot is rookie first-rounder Abdul Carter.
After taking Carter with the third pick in the 2025 draft, expectations were sky-high for the edge-rusher. However, Carter was benched for the start of the Week 13 contest, and that’s the second time this season he’s been benched. What is going on with the rookie?
What Did Joe Schoen Say About Abdul Carter’s Benching?
Against the New England Patriots last weekend, Carter was on the bench for the Giants’ first two defensive series. It’s the second time in three weeks that Carter has been benched.
Interim head coach Mike Kafka also benched Carter at the beginning of the Week 11 game against the Green Bay Packers for missing a walkthrough.
On Tuesday, general manager Joe Schoen spoke about Carter’s situation for the first time.
“(Carter is) smart and understands the magnitude of his actions and also understands what it means to be a pro,” Schoen explained. “These kids are 21 years old and they’re thrust in the spotlight in New York City. It’s not always going to be perfect.”
For what it’s worth, Carter refuted the claims that he slept through a walkthrough in Week 11. Kafka did not give a reason for this latest benching, instead saying it was his decision.
“Just based on how we went during the week, that was a decision I wanted to make,” Kafka said.
When on the field, though, Carter has been solid. The rookie has played in all 13 games and has collected 31 tackles, one tackle for loss, and 1.5 sacks. PFSN’s EDGE Impact ranking gives Carter a 78.0 grade for his performance so far.
Giants’ 2025 Season Has Been a Disaster
The Giants were optimistic entering this season, but almost nothing has gone right.
Rookie running back Cam Skattebo was a bright spot, but he suffered a gruesome season-ending injury in October. Rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart has looked promising but has also missed time due to injury.
Head coach Brian Daboll was fired last month, but the team’s fortunes haven’t improved under Kafka. Now with the Carter drama, there don’t seem to be any good vibes around the Giants right now.
The team gets a chance to reset in Week 14 before preparing to take on the Washington Commanders in Week 15.