Abdul Carter hasn’t played a single down, and still, he’s giving offensive coordinators nightmares. He is a certified warhead, dressed like a linebacker, built like a tank, and moves like a cat that just had three espressos. The Giants didn’t just select him with the third overall pick for a decorative show. But let’s do the math: Offenses may be able to double-team Dexter Lawrence. Still, the Giants have Kavyon Thibodeaux. Double KT? Great, now Carter’s off the edge, untouched. Double Carter? Brian Burns is breathing down your QB, so good luck. The Giants may have just constructed a defensive line that turns QBs into screen-pass merchants.

And Shane Bowen, the defensive coordinator, has already made plans to use his new weapon. Shaun O’Hara, the Super Bowl champion, took a ride with Bowen. And threw out the most obvious setup line, “You got a really shiny new toy in Abdul Carter. How excited are you to have a guy like that with that kind of talent?” Bowen went full DC mode, iterating his defensive plan for the NFL teams to take notes. “Yeah, it’s been fun. Again, we got two really good edge guys with Burns and KT, and then you add him to the mix, it opens up some things for you as a defense coordinator…But just his ability, so explosive. And then he’s got the athleticism of match. Usually it’s one or the other with these guys and he’s got both.” Translation: Bowen’s figuring out ways to get all three of his edge rushers on the field. At once. Pray for opposing O-lines.

Bowen continued, “So it’s been fun to watch as it goes, but we got to find ways to get him on the field so he can impact.“ It’s not just lip service. That’s code for ‘we’re cooking something.’ Carter has momentum going into training camp after a strong spring, and his defensive staff is aware that he will create chaos. And this won’t be the first time he has done that. Carter’s 2024 season at Penn State was an all-out siege. 12 sacks. A nation-high 23.5 tackles for loss. Two forced fumbles. Four passes defended. Defensive Player of the Year. And enough video to leave any offensive coordinator in the NFC East sleepless.

The team he is joining has not produced a Defensive Rookie of the Year since Lawrence Taylor redefined fear in 1981. So, yeah, when you choose a linebacker who is capable of causing chaos and the numbers already hint at it, you begin to wonder: Could this be the one? But this offseason, the Giants made waves in more ways than one. They also adopted the ‘shotgun approach’ at quarterback, loading the depth chart with veteran Russell Wilson and first-round pick Jaxson Dart.

Russell Wilson might be the starter, unless he’s not

This offseason, the Giants filled the depth chart at the QB position. But as ESPN insider Adam Schefter put it, the “plan” to let Wilson lead while Dart develops is soft clay. Very soft. Schefter on Get Up said: “The Giants would like to be as patient as they can with their rookie Jaxson Dart. And go with Russell Wilson. But let’s keep in mind that once before Brian Daboll and the Giants’ general manager, Joe Schoen, was in Buffalo, and the plan there was to be very patient with Josh Allen, and he was called on to start a lot sooner than anybody expected.” 

In other words, Dart might receive the call sooner than anyone wants to acknowledge if Wilson performs like Pittsburgh Wilson. Now, Wilson was Mr. Unlimited (do you remember that era?), a 10-time Pro Bowler, and a Super Bowl champion. But he has suddenly taken on the appearance of Mr. Underwhelming. The previous season? Only 2,482 yards, 63.7% completion rate, 16 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions. Not bad if you’re a backup. Not great if you’re supposed to hold the fort for a first-round pick.

Whereas, Dart arrives from Ole Miss with zero NFL snaps, a fireball arm, and a collegiate swagger. Ironically, the fact that he hasn’t yet developed the scars may be his greatest advantage at the moment. History shows that patience wears thin around here, so the Giants are hoping for a smooth development arc. Just ask Eli Manning, who was benched in Week 3 for—you guessed it—Daniel Jones despite being scheduled to receive a victory lap in 2019.

And how did that patience plan work out? Nine different starting QBs since 2019. The Giants have changed quarterbacks more often than they’ve changed game plans. So yeah, Russell Wilson is the starter—for now. But Jaxson Dart is lurking. The message is clear: the Giants aren’t waiting around anymore. They’re building something wild, something fast, and maybe—just maybe—something that finally works.