Bills HC Sean McDermott senses rookie DT’s growing confidence and comfort

Although freshman wide receiver Keon Coleman scored an impressive 49-yard touchdown in the Buffalo Bills’ Week 5 loss to the Houston Texans, it was another member of the team’s 2024 NFL Draft class who may have been their most impactful rookie during the match was. .

Defensive tackle DeWayne Carter was called up to make his first career start in the conference clash, with starting defenseman Ed Oliver’s hamstring injury late in the week pushing the rookie into the first-team defense. The 23-year-old had seen his rushing numbers steadily increase in Week 4, showing the normal highs and lows expected of rookies; Buffalo’s lack of bodies at defensive tackle, given the injuries he’s suffered at the position, all but guaranteed that Week 5 would be Carter’s biggest workload yet… and he delivered.

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While he wasn’t flawless all game (with he and fellow rookie Zion Logue looking particularly outmatched on a Cam Akers touchdown run in the first quarter), he showed his most consistent flashes yet, recording two pressures and recorded three run stops per PFF. He finished the game with three tackles, two of which were for losses; he looked extremely promising for a player making his first career start and appearing in just his fifth career game, a sentiment echoed by head coach Sean McDermott when he praised the tackle during his media presence on Monday.

“He has made strides,” McDermott said. ‘He gave us some energy. That first diagnosis of the screen in the first sequence of the game was big for us, getting him off to a good start. I thought he did some really good things, and like you said, he continues to grow and develop for us every week.

McDermott complimented Carter’s play again later during his press conference, reiterating his satisfaction with the juice the defenseman played with.

“(He) continues to develop as a rookie and made some really nice plays (Sunday),” McDermott said. “I thought he played physically at the point of attack, with good energy. He is developing.”

Carter was expected to play a career-high number of snaps in Houston (36), a number that will likely decrease once Oliver returns to the lineup. That said, the rookie is visibly getting more comfortable as his debut season progresses; he had an impressive stop in the red zone of Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry in Week 4 before having the best game of his career last weekend. No one is calling for him to usurp Oliver or DaQuan Jones at the drop of a hat; however, an extension of playing time when the defense is at full strength may be appropriate.

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