Michael Carter II appears to be on the road to recovery following an injury-plagued 2024 season that limited his impact on the New York Jets’ defense.
In a workout video posted to his Instagram account, the veteran cornerback wrote, “Feels great moving around again,” signaling visible progress as the team prepares for the 2025 campaign.
Carter, who signed a three-year deal worth more than $30 million last offseason, was expected to build on a breakout 2023 campaign in which he emerged as one of the NFL’s top slot defenders. Pro Football Focus ranked him as the league’s ninth-best cornerback that season.
Instead, he battled multiple injuries, most notably a lingering back issue, and was limited to just 286 defensive snaps over 13 games, a steep drop from the 671 snaps he logged the year prior.
A 2021 fifth-round pick out of Duke, Carter recorded 24 combined tackles (one for loss) and one pass deflection during his abbreviated 2024 campaign.
When close to full health in 2023, Carter solidified his role in the slot, holding opposing receivers to a career-low 4.8 yards per target. He surrendered only one touchdown and eight first downs that year, allowing just 0.62 yards per coverage snap across 17 games.
Year after year, Carter has continued to elevate his game and cement his status as one of the NFL’s premier nickel corners, emerging as a key component of Steve Wilks’ secondary. If he returns to full health, Carter could help anchor a retooled Jets defense built on speed and versatility.
