Bengals defensive tackle Zach Carter is on the verge of a breakout year
Back in June, it was revealed that Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle Zach Carter added 20 pounds of muscle to his frame following the conclusion of his rookie season. We wrote about why added muscle alone won't lead to a breakout season for the 24-year old player, but an improvement in his ability to win as […]
Back in June, it was revealed that Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle Zach Carter added 20 pounds of muscle to his frame following the conclusion of his rookie season. We wrote about why added muscle alone won't lead to a breakout season for the 24-year old player, but an improvement in his ability to win as a pass rusher will.
Through two preseason contests, Carter looks like he has taken that needed step in his game. Per Pro Football Focus' Andrew Russell, Carter leads all Bengals' defensive linemen in pass rush win rate this month at 17.2%. That figure is also good enough for 15th out of all qualifying defensive tackles around the NFL.
This is what the Bengals needed to see from Carter as he enters an important second year in Cincinnati. The former third-round selection spent his rookie season wearing different hats for the Bengals' defensive line, providing next-to-nothing as a pass rusher. For reference, he posted a win rate of just 1.4% in 2022.
And while it is just preseason featuring mostly reserve offensive linemen, Carter's win rate during last preseason was 4.9%. The jump looks pretty real.
The idea of a breakout year is only realistic if the opportunity exists hand in hand with the jump in development. Carter played 461 snaps as a rookie last year, the third-most for defensive tackles on the team, and that number should increase via a more equal rotation at 3-technique with B.J. Hill, who played a career-high 977 snaps last season.
And even if Carter wasn't on track to take this leap, he'd still be asked to play an increase in snaps. The Bengals essentially ignored the defensive tackle position all offseason, only adding two undrafted free agents in the Spring.
The stage was always going to get brighter for Carter this season. He looks like he's about to shine on it.
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Featured image via © Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK
