The Bills saw a depth piece on their defensive line go down with a season-ending injury today. Defensive tackle DeWayne Carter suffered a torn Achilles tendon, according to Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports. Now, instead of preparing for Week 1 of the 2025 season, the 24-year-old will begin working his way back to the field in time for 2026.
Carter was a third-round pick for Buffalo last year after five years at Duke. He started earning some recognition in his redshirt sophomore year with the Blue Devils, when he earned third-team All-ACC honors in his first year as a full-time starter, breaking out with 4.5 sacks, eight tackles for loss, four forced fumbles, and three batted passes. He stepped it up in 2022, logging 5.5 sacks, 11 tackles for loss, four passes defensed, three forced fumbles, and three fumble recoveries, including one returned for a touchdown.
After earning second-team All-ACC honors for his redshirt junior season, Carter’s production dropped a bit in 2023 as he became a focal point for opposing offenses. He only logged once sack and four tackles for loss, but he did bat four passes and returned another fumble for a touchdown. His defensive impact was still clear as he earned first-team All-ACC honors and became a third-round pick headed to Buffalo.
As a rookie, Carter was eased into the NFL with a minimal Week 1 workload but became a significant part of the rotation on the defensive line for the next six weeks, even earning his first two career starts in Weeks 5 & 6. He missed the next five weeks but returned to play in four of the final five games of the season, including a Week 18 start as the usual starters rested. In 11 games with three starts, Carter totaled five tackles for loss, three quarterback hits, and one pass defensed.
Carter wasn’t expected to step into a starting role in 2025 as DaQuan Jones and Ed Oliver return to the starting lineup, but the second-year lineman was once again expected to be a key part of the rotation, especially during the suspension of free agent addition Larry Ogunjobi. Instead, Carter will likely undergo surgery and begin rehabilitation with a goal of being healthy for Year 3.