Disappointed as he was with his second season in the NFL, Michael Carter attempted to take a glass half-full approach.
“I’m 24 years old and I’ve been playing football since I was 4,” the Jets’ third-year running back said after Tuesday’s training camp practice. “So, statistically, my year wasn’t great, but if you really look at it, I’m 19 for 20. I’m in good shape.”
Asked if that meant it was the worst season of his football life, Carter nodded, based on his expectations for himself. He called it a “long-ass year” in which there were “some moments where I could have come up big and I just probably didn’t.”
His production dropped off.
He was unable to fill the void left in the backfield by the Week 7, season-ending knee injury to Breece Hall.
Then even when trade addition James Robinson flopped — whose acquisition confused Carter and make him question the belief the Jets had in him — he couldn’t take advantage.
Zonovan Knight, an undrafted free agent, took his spot.
Carter had just 10 carries over the final four games.
The player who was such a pivotal part of the Jets’ offense as a rookie, notching 964 total yards and four touchdowns, was nowhere to be found.
“Part of it was I was a little too emotional last year, because I really love football,” he said. “You look at a guy like Odell [Beckham Jr.], who they give a hard time to. But I feel him. All he wants to do is be great. This is my only job I ever had, never worked at Publix, none of that. I just play football for my whole life. So I put my all into it. When something doesn’t go your way, it hurts you extra. But I learned don’t get too high, don’t get too low and maintain positivity no matter what.”
He added: “When you go into a Sunday and you’re not able to help, it hurts to be on the sideline.”
Carter insisted that he didn’t train or prepare any differently for last season.
But nothing went as planned for him, the former fourth-round pick out of North Carolina produced just 402 rushing yards on 3.5 yards per carry.
He dedicated himself this offseason to getting into prime condition.
He spoke to Chargers All-Pro safety Derwin James, who offered him advice: Don’t overreact to one down season. It’s about lasting.
“Everything’s about endurance in the NFL,” James told him.
It makes this a pivotal season for Carter, and an important training camp.
With Hall starting camp on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list, Carter will receive extra reps.
He could start the season as the Jets’ No. 1 running back.
In the coming weeks, he’s determined to show the coaches they don’t have to rush Hall back.
“I feel good about it. Obviously, I’ve done it before,” he said. “My brother tore his ACL. When you get rushed back, it usually tears again. I’m confident in myself and the other guys around me.”
Carter didn’t want to make excuses for his underwhelming year, but he did feel that teams were stacking the box against him, daring the Jets to throw the ball.
They were 25th in the league in yards rushing per game at 99.2. That philosophy almost certainly won’t continue this year, not with Aaron Rodgers under center.
“He makes a difference,” Carter said with a laugh.
Carter didn’t want to dwell too much on last season, and what went wrong for him. He has heard the chatter, the questions about his future with the Jets.
But his focus is on recapturing his rookie form and reminding everyone why the team had such high hopes for him at this time last summer.
“I know what I’m capable of,” Carter said. “You’ll see.”