Abdul Carter left the New York Giants’ first day of mandatory minicamp early on Monday after an apparent foot injury, and he did not practice on Tuesday for Day 2. With head coach John Harbaugh calling the issue minor, the Giants rotated Brian Burns, Kayvon Th
Abdul Carter’s Monday felt like a quick scare with a simple answer—at least on the surface.
The New York Giants saw their star edge rusher leave the first day of mandatory minicamp early after an apparent foot injury. The club’s early reaction was optimistic, claiming Carter was okay. But the next beat of this week’s schedule made the worry harder to ignore: Carter was not available for Day 2.
Reports said the 22-year-old linebacker did not practice with the Giants on Tuesday. Ralph Vacchiano reported that Carter was “not practicing with the New York Giants today at Day 2 of their minicamp.” That means whatever the injury truly is, the team decided not to push him immediately.
Giants head coach John Harbaugh already said Carter’s injury is minor, putting a calmer frame around the situation. Still, it’s only early June, and the message Tuesday carried was clear—this is a cautious approach, not a full-speed one.
With Carter out, the Giants filled the linebacker workload by working Brian Burns, Kayvon Thibodeaux, and Arvell Reese in the linebacker positions. On the defensive end side, Shleby Harris, Chauncey Goldton, and Zachh Pickens participated in minicamp.
June 10 is the last day Carter can return to minicamp and bounce back from the injury. If he doesn’t make it back by then, the next time he’ll get another opportunity to practice with his teammates comes in late July, when the Giants begin training camp.
Carter’s importance to the defense is part of why Monday’s exit and Tuesday’s absence matter. The former first-round pick appeared in all 17 games last season, despite only six starts. He finished the 2025-26 campaign with 43 combined tackles—25 solo—along with four sacks, two forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries.
A minor injury can still disrupt a rhythm, and for a player who made his presence felt across every game last year, the Giants will be measuring his response closely over the remaining minicamp window—starting with whether he’s able to return before June 10.
Abdul Carter New York Giants minicamp Day 2 foot injury John Harbaugh Brian Burns Kayvon Thibodeaux Arvell Reese Shleby Harris Chauncey Goldton Zachh Pickens