ARLINGTON, Texas - Dallas Cowboys linebacker Bruce Carter says he's approaching the 2014 season with a chip on his shoulder.
The 2011 second-round pick finished third on the team in tackles with 96 last season, however, he rarely displayed the playmaking ability he showed in 2012.
Carter enters the final year of his rookie contract as the favorite to start at weakside linebacker.
"I definitely have a lot to prove to everybody, especially myself," Carter said Wednesday during a Reliant-sponsored charity home run derby at Globe Life Park. "I want to come out here and just get this thing moving in the right direction."
Carter, 26, has acknowledged that transitioning from 3-4 inside linebacker to outside in a 4-3 system played a role in his third-year struggles.
"I just want to be the best player I can be," Carter said. "I have a lot of potential to be great. I don't want to leave anything in the tank. I want to sell out and give my all."
At the Senior Bowl in late January, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones talked about Carter having a future in Dallas despite his disappointing 2013 campaign. Jones said Carter would become "more of a pro" by making a larger commitment to focusing on the details of the game.
"We know he can do what this defense calls for and be outstanding," Jones said. "We have some real reasons to be excited about him and certainly he'd be the first to say that he had some things that he'd like to take back."
To better prepare for the upcoming season, Carter said he has been spending extra time at Valley Ranch.
"Just working out with our strength coaches, just being around the facility a lot, seeing the coaches and whatnot," Carter said. "I'm putting in that work. That's all that really matters."
