Like pretty much every defender on the roster, Dallas Cowboys linebacker Bruce Carter had a rough 2013. Now, he admits that he struggled to adapt from the 3-4 system he played in over the first two years of his career, and the 4-3 brought in last offseason by Monte Kiffin and Rod Marinelli.
“Yes, I think that was it for me, just being more comfortable with the system and going from the previous year in the 3-4, playing Mike (inside linebacker), to the outside, playing Will (weakside linebacker), which is kind of like night and day,” Carter told Gina Miller of ThatSportsGirl.com. “But in the same sense it’s still playing linebacker, so I think for me, just getting more comfortable at that position and knowing my role and just going from there.”
Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones acknowledged Carter’s 2013 struggles earlier this offseason but, in the same breath, expressed confidence that Carter has the tools to thrive in the new system.
“We know he can do what this defense calls for and be outstanding,” Jones said, per the Dallas Morning News. “We have some real reasons to be excited about him and certainly he’d be the first to say that he had some things that he’d like to take back. Overall, he’s got a future here … and that’s a positive. It’s not a condition, he’s going to become more of a pro and more understanding about the kind of commitment and the kind of detail and preparation it takes and he’ll be a lot better for it. He’s got the other stuff that nobody can coach, and that is speed and physical assets.”
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