Carter is still seeking the breakthrough that seemed inevitable when he was unstoppable during training camp and the preseason. But he only has a half sack 11 games into his NFL career. It’s foolish to call Carter a bust based on the box score. Anyone who has watched the games can see his impact, even if it hasn’t translated to as many sacks as expected.
But Carter hasn’t been as disruptive recently. He averaged four pressures in the first eight games of the season, but he has only has three pressures total in the past three games. And while Carter wasn’t drafted with the No. 3 pick for his run defense, he’s been exploited too often on the edge. He has too much talent to not eventually have a breakout game. But this isn’t the most welcoming opponent. Penei Sewell is arguably the best right tackle in the NFL and left tackle Taylor Decker is a steady veteran.