Abdul Carter Giants contract: How much will LB earn in New York?

New York Giants fans have high expectations for Abdul Carter, the edge rusher the team picked with the third overall pick in last month's NFL Draft out of Penn State.

After signing Carter to his first professional contract on Thursday, the Giants will now have the opportunity to add him to their stellar pass-rushing group, which also includes Kayvon Thibodeaux, Brian Burns and Dexter Lawrence II.

Carter will be eligible for all of the Giants' offseason activities now that his rookie contract has been finalized.

We will now examine every detail in Carter's contract below.

Abdul Carter's Giants contract breakdown

According to Spotrac, Abdul Carter's contract is a four-year, $45.2 million, fully guaranteed agreement with an average annual value (AAV) of about $11.2 million and a $29.4 million signing bonus.

The deal is worth roughly $3 million less than the contracts that the Tennessee Titans' number one pick, Cam Ward, and the Jacksonville Jaguars' number two pick, Travis Hunter, have signed.

NFL rookie contracts are predetermined, signifying that a player's draft position dictates the terms of their contract. This means there is little or no room for haggling when rookie contracts are being finalized. In Carter's situation, the Giants also have the fifth-year option available in his contract for the 2029 season since he is a first-round pick.

Abdul Carter was regarded as probably the most talented player in the 2025 draft class. He will now have the opportunity to establish himself on the big stage for a Giants organization that has a track record of producing top-tier pass rushers.

He participated in the team's rookie minicamp a few weeks ago and is currently training with the team for another offseason program.

Carter, 21, spent his first two seasons with the Nittany Lions playing on the inside before switching to the edge in 2024, prompting early indications that the Giants intend to deploy him as an outside linebacker and occasionally as an inside rusher.

Carter recorded 12.5 sacks and 23.5 tackles for loss at Penn State last year, and he is expected to deliver comparable performance in his rookie season with the Giants.

With Dexter Lawrence, Kayvon Thibodeaux, and Brian Burns combining for 23 sacks in 2024, the team's defensive line could rank among the best in the league in 2025, assuming no one suffers serious injuries.