Dewayne Carter

Bills’ Dawuane Smoot placed on injured reserve

The injuries on the defensive side of the ball continue to pile up for the Buffalo Bills.

The latest is a key rotational piece on the D-line.

In a press conference on Monday, Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott announced that defensive end Dawuane Smoot will undergo surgery on his wrist. He was placed on injured reserve.

Smoot has seen snaps all across the defensive line, so the Bills will be without a versatile component of their front. He has flashed at times this year, and McDermott is hopeful that he can return by the end of the season to see more \from the veteran.

“I am [hopeful Smoot can return this season], but don’t quote me on that,” McDermott said. “Sometimes with IR and surgeries, you’re never sure until the doctors get in there and see what the extent of the injury is.”

McDermott said the surgery will take place “later this week.”

Landing on the injury designation means Smoot will be sidelined a minimum of four weeks before the team can designate him to return.

Smoot has 1.5 sacks and 12 tackles on the year after coming over from the Jacksonville Jaguars. He posted 23.5 sacks on the Jags, where he spent the first seven years of his career.

DeWayne Carter is another defensive lineman who recently suffered a wrist injury and was put on IR. He is likely to be back sometime shortly after the bye in Week 12.

With multiple injuries on the defensive line, others are going to have to step up. Or, perhaps general manager Brandon Beane sees the D-line as a position to seek a trade with the deadline looming on Tuesday.

Bills Wire will continue to provide all injury updates throughout the 2024 season.

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Buffalo Bills place former Duke football star DeWayne Carter on injured reserve

The Buffalo Bills moved DeWayne Carter, Duke’s former All-ACC defensive tackle, to their injured reserve on Friday.

Former Duke football star [autotag]DeWayne Carter[/autotag] will miss at least the next four games of his rookie NFL season after the Buffalo Bills placed him on their injured reserve on Friday.

Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott said earlier that day that Carter’s wrist would require surgery. The move to IR means he won’t be eligible to return until the team’s December 1 game against the San Francisco 49ers.

The Bills took Carter, a First Team All-ACC defensive tackle in 2023, in the third round of the NFL draft this past April. Through his first seven games in the professional ranks, the former Blue Devil had nine total tackles and a pass deflection.

Carter spent five seasons with the Blue Devils from 2019-23, finishing with 126 total tackles and 12 career sacks. Ten of those sacks came between the 2021 and 2022 seasons, and he ended his collegiate career with 11 pass deflections and five forced fumbles.

Bills place rookie DeWayne Carter on injured reserve

The Buffalo Bills are going to be without rookie DeWayne Carter for an extended period.

The team has announced on Friday that Carter has been placed on injured reserve due to his current wrist injury:

Roster move: DT DeWayne Carter has been placed on the Injured Reserve list.

— Buffalo Bills PR (@BuffaloBillsPR) October 25, 2024

Carter, a third-round rookie, was injured in Buffalo’s win over the Tennessee Titans last week.

Being placed on the injury designation means that Carter will now have to sit out a minimum of four games. He can begin practicing again after that point but Carter could miss longer than four weeks as well.

Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott indicated that Carter had surgery on the injury already.

Carter’s next possible contest won’t be until Week 13 against the San Francisco 49ers. The Bills have their bye in Week 12.

Bills Wire will provide future updates as information is made available.

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Four Bills rookies primed for increased opportunities vs. Texans

The Buffalo Bills have been hit with the injury bug to start their 2024 campaign.

Injuries are always a big factor in any NFL season, but the Bills keep losing vital pieces to their team, and the losses are starting to pile up.

Already down to their backup linebackers and nickel back, the team is now without defensive tackle Ed Oliver (hamstring) and safety Taylor Rapp (concussion). So, now the injury bug has affected all three levels of the defense.

It has started to make its way to the offense as well, as starting slot receiver Khalil Shakir has been ruled out with an ankle injury.

Injuries are never good for a team, but for young individuals finally getting their break, it’s a great opportunity to put their play on film.

Due to injury (and the suspension of Von Miller), four Bills rookies will be stepping into a presumed bigger role on Sunday: defensive tackle DeWayne Carter, safety Cole Bishop, defensive end Javon Soloman, and wide receiver Keon Coleman.

DeWayne Carter is now thrust into a more prominent role on the defensive line in the absence of Ed Oliver. Carter hasn’t seen much action to start his rookie year. He has played just 81 snaps through four games. Last week against Baltimore he played his most amount of snaps (26) and was able to record two tackles and an assist. The Bills were excited to be able to draft Carter after adding a third-round pick in a draft day trade with the Kansas City Chiefs. Now it’s time to see what the former Duke Blue Devil team captain is all about.

Cole Bishop

Cole Bishop saw his first extended work of the season in Week 4 after Rapp left the game. He played 41 snaps and logged three tackles. According to PFF, he had a 33% missed tackle rate, so that is something he will have to improve on. He is now making his first career start. The instincts in coverage on the second level and the ability to break down and make tackles is on tape from his time at the University of Utah. Now he has to prove he can learn quickly at the next level. He will face a big test in his first start going up against a dangerous Texans’ passing attack.

Javon Solomon

Rookie edge defender Javon Solomon’s 16 sacks at Troy led the FBS in 2023. And, in limited snaps so far this year (17 total), he has shown flashes. With Von Miller being suspended four games, now is Solomon’s time to shine. Through his first 17 pro snaps, he has posted an impressive 93.3 defense grade and a 93.6 pass rush grade, according to PFF. His pass rush grade only trails Aidan Hutchinson and Myles Garrett in the entire NFL. They each have over 100 pass rush snaps while Solomon only has 11, but the flashes are there.

Keon Coleman

The Bills’ number one wide receiver Khalil Shakir will miss the game Sunday. While Shakir and Coleman don’t line up in the same spots often, there will still be more targets to go around on offense. Coleman and quarterback Josh Allen were able to get on the same page in the second half of Week 4’s loss. They connected on two impressive back-shoulder receptions on the sideline. Coleman has the physical size and athletic ability to out-jump and out-reach mostly any secondary defender. Now that he has more trust in his quarterback, and with Shakir being out, it will be interesting to see how much they lean on their top draft choice from April.

DeWayne Carter and other Duke football alums celebrate the UNC comeback

DeWayne Carter and other former Duke football stars shared their excitement on social media after the Blue Devils came back to beat UNC.

The entire city of Durham rejoiced on Saturday night when the Blue Devils beat the North Carolina Tar Heels, scoring three second-half touchdowns for a 20-point comeback, and a few former members of the team joined in from afar.

No former Blue Devil made his support more vocal than [autotag]DeWayne Carter[/autotag], the 2023 All-ACC First Team defensive tackle. Carter, who is also undefeated this season after the Buffalo Bills drafted him in the third round, never lost faith in the squad despite the early mistakes.

The Blue Devils took the lead with a little more than five minutes on the clock, and the defense clinched the game from there. Vincent Anthony Jr., Wesley Williams, and the pass rush forced a three-and-out on the first potential game-winning drive before linebacker Tre Freeman intercepted a pass from UNC quarterback Jacolby Criswell on the second, cementing the win.

“NEVER A DOUBT MAN,” Carter wrote on X (the social media platform formerly known as Twitter) in a series of posts celebrating the win.

https://twitter.com/Dewaynecarter0/status/1840176101600973155

https://twitter.com/Dewaynecarter0/status/1840176393461637467

Carter joined the Blue Devils in 2019 and spent the next five years with the program, finishing his collegiate career with 126 total tackles and 12 sacks in 52 games.

Fellow defensive line alum Ja’Mion Franklin, who spent three seasons with the Blue Devils from 2021-23, shared a short but sweet message after the victory.

https://twitter.com/Jamion_Franklin/status/1840178893921132692

Jacob Monk, a fellow member of the 2024 NFL draft class who ended up with the Green Bay Packers, highlighted the performance of running back Star Thomas. The New Mexico State transfer surpassed 200 yards of total offense, running for 166 and picking up 45 more as a receiver, and reached the end zone twice.

https://twitter.com/JacobMonk_/status/1840162418871210443

While Carter and the other former Blue Devils may not have suited up on Saturday, it’s obvious that they remain a part of the Duke football program in their hearts.

Former Duke football star DeWayne Carter supported Riley Leonard’s transfer decision

Riley Leonard may have spurned Duke fans by transferring to Notre Dame, but DeWayne Carter doesn’t share that feeling.

Duke football fans would be forgiven for holding some animosity toward quarterback [autotag]Riley Leonard[/autotag].

After all, the Blue Devils won nine games with him under center in 2022 and got off to a 4-0 start before he injured his ankle. However, despite the upward trajectory in Durham, Leonard instead left for Notre Dame through the transfer portal.

While every member of the Duke fanbase may not wish him the best with the Fighting Irish, former teammate DeWayne Carter certainly does. In a recent ESPN article, the former All-ACC defensive lineman had nothing but kind words for Leonard.

“Riley is the farthest thing from selfish in this universe,” Carter said. “He did all he could to come back for us [from the ankle injury], and he had a right to make a decision for himself. It was never a secretive thing. He had conversations with us, and I told him I supported him.”

The pair’s former coach, Mike Elko, also left the program last year. He became the head coach at Texas A&M, the team Leonard and Notre Dame beat on Saturday to begin the 2024 season.

ESPN’s Louis Riddick: Bills’ DeWayne Carter had ‘spectacular’ tape

ESPN’s Louis Riddick: #Bills’ DeWayne Carter had ‘spectacular’ tape:

ESPN NFL analyst Louis Riddick had two notes on Buffalo Bills rookie defensive tackle DeWayne Carter that should get fans excited.

First, Riddick used the word “spectacular” to describe the way Carter plays.Not a bad start for the third-round rookie.

Then the one football fans in Buffalo will really enjoy: A comparison to Kyle Williams was made.

Riddick’s breakdown on Carter can be found in the One Bills Live clip below:

"His tape was spectacular"

ESPN's @LRiddickESPN shared his thoughts and praise for #Bills 3rd round pick DeWayne Carter🔊⬇️ pic.twitter.com/VgTs6gtNMt

— One Bills Live (@OneBillsLive) July 22, 2024

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Bills rookies try chicken wings in Buffalo for the first time (video)

#Bills rookies try chicken wings in Buffalo for the first time (video):

In a time honored tradition, the Buffalo Bills made their newest players try chicken wings, and of course, blue cheese.

The Bills always gather a group of their rookie draft picks and other first-year pros on the team and make them try the Buffalo delicacy.

Check out the YouTube video below to see all the reactions:

Bills’ DeWayne Carter, Rasul Douglas: Bobby Babich off to good start as DC

#Bills’ DeWayne Carter, Rasul Douglas: Bobby Babich off to good start as DC:

The Bills have plenty of new faces for media and fans to familiarize themselves with on the field this offseason.

Among them is defensive lineman Dewayne Carter.

Buffalo’s third-round selection in the 2024 NFL Draft out of Duke is getting acclimated to his new coaches and teammates, who are helping each other along the way.

One of those coaches is newly promoted defensive coordinator Bobby Babich.

Carter noted the impact both Babich and his teammates are having in his first offseason as a Bill.

“Knowledge of the game, and how much knowledge he’s giving me,” Carter said about his new DC. “And not just me, it’s everybody in that whole room, it’s like coach corrects you on one thing, and everybody chips in you know, and gives you pointers.”

With the roster turnover since their 2023 campaign ended, the Bills have seen an influx of new and young players and will be looking to a number of their draft selections to hopefully be able to contribute as soon as possible on the field in the regular season.

That veterans on the roster are helping support the application of their coaches’ input to elevate younger players like Carter and help them get up to speed and the level of play to contribute is a good sign that everyone is doing their part to field the best team possible.

“It’s never from like, the point of ego or like ‘I’m the guy so you should listen to me’, it’s like I want to help you be better and help this team win,” Carter added.

That they are backing Babich is a good sign as well. Hee has been a popular defensive presence on the coaching staff for some time, most recently serving as the linebackers coach.

“Good coach,” coach Sean McDermott said about Babich when he was promoted. “Bobby and I have been together a number of years, going back to our time together in Carolina. And you know, his dad [coach Bob Babich] was with us for a number of years here, and good family. Bob is a good coach. He’s developed players, and I think when you evaluate a coach, [you are] taking what you have and making it better? And I think it doesn’t get any, need to get any more complex than that. And Bobby’s done that.”

Babich made some headlines this offseason commenting on his approach toward the new role he’s assumed and his transition into the duties it entails.

“I’m vulnerable enough to say that I’m as prepared as I’m possibly going to be, and I’m (continuing) to learn every day and every part of this process,” he noted.

Bills corner Rasul Douglas also recently commented on the new Bills DC and the energy he brings to their defense.

“Juiced. A lot of energy,” said Douglas. “It wakes you up because you gotta try to match his energy. He’s ready. He’s juiced. He’s pumped to go out there. It’s like he’s playing.”

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Bills NFL Draft grades: DeWayne Carter, IDL, Duke

Bills NFL Draft grade for selecting Duke DT DeWayne Carter in the third round

The Buffalo Bills saw plenty of defensive talent walk out in free agency leaving their defense somewhat short handed, with the selection of Duke defensive lineman DeWayne Carter they inject some youth combined with plenty of college experience to that side of the ball.

While Carter does not project as the starter right away it’s going to be tough to project him to not see the field in the early going as a rotational piece. With Ed Oliver and DaQuan Jones locking down the starting role, the young lineman will get the chance to spell them as an energetic interior pass rusher throughout the season.

Experienced, fluid, relentless, and quick, Carter was a main stay in the Duke defense over the past three seasons. While Carter has been quite productive during his starting stint, his production dropped off a cliff this last season and certainly hurt his draft stock.

Grade: B