Everyone keeps going back to your time with the San Francisco 49ers when they transitioned to a 3-4 defense and then you ended up leaving in free agency. Can you explain what happened and what that experience was like?
“Sure. They switched to a 3-4 defense and everything, as far as assignments and techniques, was like nothing I had ever been through before playing defensive end,” Carter said. “The scheme they were going for was a lot like the Baltimore Ravens style of defense. When it came to blitzing and things like that, I was lined up on the number-two slot. We would have two people lined up on the outside – myself and a cornerback. So, as I was coming towards the quarterback, the running back would scan out to protect. As a defensive end, I would naturally go in and then cut out or go out and then cut back in. I usually had the option. But now, as a linebacker, I always had to go inside, which was an adjustment.
“Now, I’ve talked with Coach [Jim] Haslett and I understand that this 3-4 scheme is nothing like that Baltimore Ravens scheme and what I experienced in 2005,” he continued. “For me, the most difficult part of that experience was coverage. Back then I had to cover the tight end man to man, and that was an experience. I learned how to do it as the season went on, but man, talk about getting your butt whooped. And there were times when I had to line up on the number-two receivers when they were lined up in the slot. That was different.
“We played a cover-2, so I had to jam him at the line of scrimmage,” Carter said. “You learn little stuff like how to work your hips a certain way, because if I don’t flip them, he’s going to beat me deep. Yeah, there were times I learned that the hard way. (Laughs.) But I never complained and I always put in the work. Towards the end of the year, they switched the scheme up a little and I worked more with the defensive linemen. But that experience was kind of tough because I had been a defensive end my whole life.”
You mentioned you’ve talked with Haslett. How did that conversation go and what did he say as far as his plans for you?
“He said I’ll be the left outside linebacker and Brian Orakpo will be on the right,” he said. “I’m used to being on the other side, but hey, he’s the boss. Because I’m so used to being on the other side, I’ll have to work on some things, like transferring certain muscle groups and things like that. But that’s part of the job. There were times last year, with some of our packages, when I would line up on the left side, so I’m familiar with it. If that’s what they want, then fine. As far as dropping back in coverage and things of that nature, the way he explained it to me, it’s a lot easier than my experiences as a linebacker in 2005.”
Will you still get chances to put that hand in the dirt and rush the quarterback?
“The way he explained it to me, that’s still part of the plan,” Carter said. “It may be on sub packages or whatever, but that’s all stuff we’ll talk more about later. But yeah, that’s stuff we did talk about.”
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