St. Louis Rams
On July 26, 2007, Carriker signed a five-year $14.5 million contract, with guarantees of $9.5 million.
[2] Carriker started all 16 games of his rookie season at defensive tackle instead of his college position, defensive end. Carriker, who bulked up from the 296 pounds he weighed at the
NFL combine, weighed in the 305-pound range during the 2007 season.
He was voted the Rams Rookie of the Year called the
Carroll Rosenbloom Memorial Award, finishing with 2 sacks, 30 tackles, and a safety. Carriker missed the entire 2009 NFL season due to injury.
Washington Commanders
Carriker was traded to the
Washington Commanders on April 20, 2010. In exchange, the teams swapped fifth and seventh-round draft picks in 2010.
[3] After initial shock, Carriker was pleased about his trade and the chance to revitalize his career.
[4]
In Washington, Carriker earned the starting left defensive end position for the Commanders in a 3-4 defensive scheme.
With the Rams he was a "3-technique" defensive tackle in a 4-3 defensive scheme which did not work out and led to his trade to the Commanders. "In St. Louis, we tried to make him a 3-technique and up-the-field rusher," said defensive coordinator Jim Haslett. "For a guy who ran the 40 in 4.7 and was 6-6, 315 pounds, you'd think he could do that. But that's not what he wants to do. He wants to play with strength and power, and he does a pretty good job of it. He feels so much more comfortable in this."[5] Carriker's 315 pounds is ideal, and he reported at the beginning of the 2010 season that he bench pressed 500 pounds, which helps him in his new position.
[4]
Early in the 2010 season the change drew positive reviews, said Rich Campbell of Fredricksburg.com, "I’m buying Carriker as an impact 3-4 end right now. He’s strong enough to set the edge on running plays, and he’s even generating a pass rush on occasion. Carriker stopped Houston RB Arian Foster for a 2-yard loss in the second quarter after he made a quick step inside the pulling left guard. He also beat a double team on the first play of the second half to stop Foster for a gain of one. Carriker isn’t dominant—but he is flashing."
[6]
On March 13, 2012, Carriker re-signed with the Commanders for four years on a $20 million contract with $7 million guaranteed.
[7] In Week 2 of the
2012 season against the
St. Louis Rams, he suffered a right knee injury early in the first quarter. The next day it was confirmed that he tore quad tendon in his right leg and he would need surgery and would be placed on
injured reserve.
[8]
Carriker had his contract restructured to help with the salary cap penalty that the Commanders faced last season on March 11, 2013.
[9] On July 25, he was placed on the PUP list after the team announced that he had a third surgery on his right knee and would be out for four or five months.
[10] On December 12, he was placed on injured reserve.
[11] He was released on March 4, 2014.
[12]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adam_Carriker
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