IRVING, Texas – Bruce Carter didn't get a chance to make a significant impact in his rookie season because of a knee injury he suffered during his final year of college.
Carter admits that he missed out on valuable time to develop chemistry with his teammates.
But the former second-round pick has come on quickly in his second season. After earning the starting inside linebacker spot next to Sean Lee, he got better as he became more comfortable with the playbook.
That allowed Carter to surprise himself and defensive coordinator Rob Ryan with how quickly he could play well at the professional level.
"I never thought he'd have the ascension that Sean Lee did, but he has. I mean, he has," Ryan said Friday. "That's the bottom line. This guy has become a hell of a football player right in front of our eyes this season. I wouldn't have predicted that. Absolutely not.
"I mean, this guy's phenomenal. Is he already a great player? Yes, he is, and he's getting better. It's just like Sean last season. It's amazing."
Carter said he thought he had a good grasp on the playbook during training camp and preseason but really became comfortable early in the regular season.
"Once I learned that it slowed everything down for me and then I was just able to play," Carter said Monday.
It has shown on the field. Since Lee went down for the season with a toe injury, Carter has taken over calling the defensive plays on the field. The 24-year-old has a team-leading 61 tackles with 29 of them coming over the last four games with Lee out of the lineup.
Many are left wondering how good Carter and Lee could be together in the future.
"I'm still learning," Carter said. "My game is ahead of me and I'm still learning every day."
