The Baltimore Ravens' interior offensive linemen are probably feeling grateful this morning that they don't have to face Jalen Carter every season, because he kicked their asses for four quarters on Sunday.
On Monday morning, I knew that Carter had a good game in Baltimore so I started watching his snaps and cutting video of his highlight plays. I had no idea how dominant he actually was. By the time I was done, I had 20 clips, which are now posted on Twitter and Bluesky.
Carter has good stats this season, but not the kind that will get the attention of the folks who vote for Defensive Player of the Year honors. He has 34 tackles, 4.5 sacks, and a forced fumble. Again, good stats, not great. Of course, on most plays he is being blocked by two offensive linemen, who are also often resorting to holding him because they have no other choice.
On Sunday, Carter spent all evening tossing Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum around like a little brother, overpowering Daniel Faalale, who is the biggest player in the NFL, and running stride for stride with Lamar freaking Jackson. He displayed an extraordinarily impressive blend of sheer power and athleticism.
For the Twitter folks:
Or if you prefer Bluesky:
It's rare for interior defensive linemen to put up big numbers as rookies, as we've documented here in the past. But just to show that point again, below is a table of the four interior defensive linemen who were named to the All-Pro team in 2023, and their stats in their first two seasons combined:
| 2023 All-Pro DTs | First two seasons |
| Aaron Donald, Rams | 117 tackles, 20 sacks, 2 FF |
| Chris Jones, Chiefs | 60 tackles, 8.5 sacks, 4 FF |
| Dexter Lawrence, Giants | 91 tackles, 6.5 sacks, 1 FF |
| Nnamdi Madubuike, Ravens | 55 tackles, 3 sacks, 0 FF |
By comparison, Carter has 67 tackles, 10.5 sacks, and 3 forced fumbles with five regular season games left to play in his second season.
"I don't get into the comparison thing with him," Nick Sirianni said, when asked how he stacks up against the players noted above. "Jalen Carter is Jalen Carter. We're happy he's on this football team and playing the way that he's playing, with the effort and the toughness, and the skill that he's playing with.
"Jalen Carter has had a really good year, a really good game yesterday, and we're looking for him to continue to grow as a player."
Sirianni's tempered enthusiasm is interesting, likely because he and the the Eagles staff know that Carter maybe hasn't even come close to reaching his ceiling. But make no mistake — Carter is already one of the best players in the NFL.
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