FEBRUARY 2, 5:40pm: The deal is finally official, as the Colts have announced the Carter signing via a press release.
JANUARY 27, 5:20pm: The Colts and Carter have agreed to terms, but official confirmation is not expected to come until February, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (on Twitter).
4:47pm: The Colts are closing in on an agreement with CFL wideout Duron Carter, the son of Hall of Fame receiver Cris Carter, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter). While he typically wouldn’t be allowed to sign with an NFL team until his contract with the Montreal Alouettes expires on February 10, Carter’s agreement with the team allows for his release if he agrees to terms with an NFL club, writes Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star.
Carter, who turns 24 in March, put up 1,030 yards and seven TDs on 75 catches in 2014 for the Alouettes. He has been a hot commodity so far this offseason, having met with – and worked out for – a number of teams over the last few weeks, including the Vikings, Browns, Panthers, Chiefs, and others. While Indianapolis was reported over the weekend to be the frontrunner for the young wideout, Minnesota was also viewed as a strong contender for Carter, particularly given his father’s history with the club.
Off-field issues and baggage plagued Carter earlier in his career, as he bounced between multiple schools, including Ohio State and Alabama, before going undrafted in 2013. Having produced consecutive solid seasons in Montreal, Carter has seen his stock rise, and while his new NFL deal likely won’t pay more than the minimum base salary, he should be in line for one of this year’s biggest signing bonuses among reserve/futures signees.
Assuming Carter does finalize a deal with the Colts, he should every opportunity to earn a spot on the 2015 roster, particularly with the futures of Reggie Wayne and Hakeem Nicks still up in the air — both players are eligible for unrestricted free agency this winter. If neither Wayne nor Nicks return to Indianapolis, Carter would join T.Y. Hilton and Donte Moncrief as part of a young, intriguing receiving corps for signal-caller Andrew Luck.
According to Ben Goessling of ESPN.com (via Twitter), Carter had effectively made his choice last week, though negotiations were ongoing this week with more than one team. Darren Wolfson of ESPN 1500 Twin Cities had indicated yesterday that resolution on Carter’s situation was expected to come at some point this week.