2024 Bears Draft Target: DeWayne Carter |
After taking a few days away from the draft to focus on some free-agent options for the Bears, it is time to dive back into the prospect world. With the Bears now starting to receive trade offers for Justin Fields and two excellent offers on the table, the Bears could be in line to acquire more picks than they already have in an effort to improve this team.
If that is the case, look for them to not only target the offense and some of their skill positions, but also particular parts of the defense. That would include adding more of a pass rush to this team but also continuing to improve in the trenches, as the Bears want to dictate the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. One player who could help with that is DT DeWayne Carter, as he could be a solid day two option for this team. An effective pass rusher who can generate plenty of interior pressure, Carter is a three-technique lineman with plenty of potential to succeed in the Matt Eberflus system. Known for having tremendous strength, Carter does a phenomenal job clogging up rushing lanes, which is something the Bears already did well with last season. As is the case with many prospects this season, Carter is 23 years old and considered an older prospect. That is because this year's class is the first class affected by COVID, so this will be the norm for the next few seasons. The 6-3, 305-pound Carter is the perfect size for an interior defensive lineman and has played at a very high level for Duke throughout his career. Although he only had one sack in 2023, Carter was the captain of the Blue Devils defense and added 41 tackles and four pass deflections to his name. Looking back at his entire career, Carter was very productive from start to finish as he picked up 126 tackles, 12 sacks, seven forced fumbles, and 11 pass deflections. Those are great numbers any way you look at it, and the Bears would be happy to have that type of production on the interior part of their line. When you look at his film and have the time to dive into his game, the one thing that stands out the most about Carter is his strong pass rush ability, with a deep toolkit of moves, and he demonstrates an ability to bat down passes. He works extremely hard to make plays and refuses to give up until the whistle is blown. To go along with that, Carter is a great run defender and can handle double teams very well for a prospect type of player. One thing you want to see when it comes to DTs is strength, and Carter has plenty of that, which allows him to win at the point of attack on the line. He is also a better tackler than most prospects at his position, which could help him climb up the draft boards as things get closer. There is no question that there is a lot of good regarding Carter and his game, but you also have to look at the negative sides that need to be addressed. That all starts with his inconsistent explosiveness off of the line, as he sometimes mistimes the snap and is a step slower than you would like him to be. When that happens, he is susceptible to getting pushed back at the line, as his strength can only overcome so much. Carter also lacks a plan of attack on the pass-rushing side of things, as he tends to struggle should his first move not work. Yes, he has more than one move, but if his planned move isn't effective, it's like he quits on the play instead of trying something else. Quicker players tend to give him issues at the point of attack, as he isn't the most athletically gifted player. Chicago made it a point to draft interior help last season when they added Zacch Pickens and Gervon Dexter, but that was only the start. Chicago is still looking to add more defensive help to this team, and Carter is an excellent fit, even if the need isn't as high as some would think. While Pickens and Dexter will be long-term fixtures, Justin Jones is a free agent, so adding a guy like Carter could be the option to replace Jones, which helps this team in short and long-term outlooks.
