After three weeks of the OTAs, the New York Giants opened their mandatory minicamp on Monday, June 8. However, the team was met with unfortunate news when the second-year linebacker, Abdul Carter, went down with an ankle injury on the first day of the minicamp. But the latest development in Carter’s injury concern has provided a sigh of relief to the Giants.
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Per The Athletic‘s Dan Duggan, who covers the Giants, on Wednesday morning reported that Carter is back on the field and is now participating.
“This is basically a walk-through but Abdul Carter is on the field and participating,” Duggan wrote on X.
This is basically a walk-through but Abdul Carter is on the field and participating.
— Dan Duggan (@DDuggan21) June 10, 2026
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Duggan’s reports surfaced after ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that Carter had suffered a minor ankle sprain during Monday’s practice. Per reports, the 22-year-old took off his cleats and walked off the field, never returning, a sign that the Giants prioritized his health ahead of the 2026 season.
At the same time, Carter’s immediate return to work also aligns with head coach John Harbaugh’s early optimism for his linebacker. Harbaugh initially noted that Carter’s injury isn’t serious, citing:
“Looks like he twisted his ankle to some degree. Doesn’t look serious.”
Harbaugh’s optimism carried significant weight, considering the Giants are expecting Carter to leap in the 2026 season. New York picked Carter with the 3rd overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft. While the Giants benched him on a couple of instances for being late or missing practices, Carter played an efficient rookie season.
He got off to a slow start, recording just 0.5 sacks over the first 12 games of the season. But he turned things around with 3.5 sacks in his final five appearances. He finished the 2025 season with four sacks, 43 combined tackles, two forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries. According to NFL Next Gen Stats, Carter also registered 72 quarterback pressures.
Heading into the 2026 season, he’s expected to play a major role for the Giants, whose defense delivered mixed results in 2025. The team allowed 25.8 points per game, which ranked 26th in the NFL. The opponents, meanwhile, also averaged 359.5 yards per game against them, including 214.2 passing yards and 145.3 rushing yards. The Giants also finished with 39 sacks, ranking 17th in the league.
This is why the team addressed the defensive side of the ball in the most recent NFL draft, when they picked Arvell Reese with the No. 5 overall pick. However, while Carter’s return to the field came as good news for the Giants, the team is also dealing with multiple injuries on the roster.
Per Duggan, wide receiver Malik Nabers (knee), tight end Thomas Fidone, defensive lineman Roy Robertson-Harris (Achilles), Sam Roberts (undisclosed surgery), linebacker Cam Jones, and cornerback Rico Payton were not spotted during the mandatory minicamp. Meanwhile, wide receiver Darius Slayton (sports hernia) was spotted with a trainer on the side. That said, the Giants will wrap up their minicamp on Wednesday and look forward to the training camp, but the injuries still remain a part of the picture.
