Lorenzo Carter better be a breakout pass rusher

The New York Giants absolutely need second-year outside linebacker Lorenzo Carter to have a breakout season in 2019 as a pass rusher. Not that it means he won’t, but is it discouraging that NFL.com analyst Willie McGinest, who racked up 86 sacks in a 12-year career, doesn’t list Carter among his 2019 pass-rush breakout candidates?

McGinest does list Josh Allen of the Jacksonville Jaguars, whom the Giants passed on to take Daniel Jones at No. 6, Leonard Floyd of the Chicago Bears, whom the Giants wanted and missed out on in 2016, Marcus Davenport of the New Orleans Saints and Buffalo Bills rookie Ed Oliver.

Carter had four sacks as a rookie, and considering that the Giants traded the best pass rusher (Olivier Vernon) from a defense that didn’t have enough pass rush they are putting a great deal of faith in Carter.

“He is rushing with a plan. When you see him rush, a year ago he was trying to get off the ball as quick as he could and use his hands when he could. Now, you see a guy that is aware of how he wants to rush, aware of techniques that he wants to rush with,” defensive coordinator James Bettcher said after seeing Carter in the spring. “Guys that get in there as pass rushers, I have been in there and have coached them before personally, you see their best growth in the two and three years. You start to figure out what they are as rushers. Whether you are Chandler Jones and a really bloody rusher or a speed counter guy. He is really starting to figure that out. He is building his pass rush toolbox right now.”

Carter knows what the Giants need from him.

“Up front, we need an Alpha, and I’m just looking forward to trying to do that,” Carter told Patricia Traina.

If Carter makes McGinest regret leaving him off his list, the Giants will have a much better chance to field a good defense. If he doesn’t, the Giants will once again struggle to get key stops in close games.