Former Georgia pass rusher Lorenzo Carter signs with new NFL team

Georgia Bulldogs product Lorenzo Carter, who spent the entirety of his first four NFL seasons with the New York Giants, is now returning to Georgia on a one-year contract with the Atlanta Falcons, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

“Giants pass-rusher Lorenzo Carter is expected to sign a 1-year deal with the Falcons,” Rapoport wrote. “Carter had five sacks in his last four games, showing promise that ATL hopes to capitalize on.”

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A 6-foot-5, 255-pound outside linebacker, Carter is coming off his most productive season to date, and — as Rapoport noted — the majority of his production came down the stretch of the season. He played in 14 games in the 2021 season, logging 50 tackles (28 solo stops), an interception, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, 5.0 sacks, six tackles for a loss and eight quarterback hits. Now, Carter hopes to bring that same production to Atlanta, as he signs for one year with the Falcons.

Carter took to Instagram on Sunday night to thank the New York Giants, the organization’s employees and the fanbase for a memorable first four NFL seasons.

“It’s hard for me to even put in words how blessed I am to have been apart of the New York Football Giants family these past four years,” Carter wrote, in part, on Instagram. “Leaving home as a young man & coming to NY taught me so much about not just myself, but opened my eyes to the world as a whole and that’s something I will never forget.”

In four NFL seasons, Carter has amassed 153 total tackles (94 solo stops), 14.5 sacks, 21 tackles for a loss, 35 quarterback hits, three forced fumbles and a fumble recover. He only started two games in 2018, his first NFL season, before becoming a mainstay in the starting lineup in 2019. Though Carter dealt with injuries for much of the 2020 season, he stayed healthy in 2021, playing in 14 games and making an impact for the Giants.

“The people in the building that spent day and night making sure we had everything we needed, from the kitchen staff, to equipment, to the janitors, to the trainers, the list goes on and on but I’m thankful for everyone that played their part in making my time with the organization so special,” Carter’s Instagram post continued. “Thanks to everyone that’s invested in me as not just an athlete, but as a person as well. The connections & memories I made are something I will cherish forever and as I move on to my next chapter, I’ll never forget the Big Blue!”

Carter prepped at Norcross High School in Georgia, where he developed into a five-star recruit, according to the On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. From there, he committed to Georgia and had a successful career with the Bulldogs before being selected by the Giants in the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft.